2022 Venice International Film Festival: 5 Films By Arab Directors We Can’t Wait To Watch
Filmmakers and creatives from the Arab world are taking La Biennale by storm with new releases
With storytelling in their blood, it’s no surprise that Arab creatives have been taking the film industry by storm throughout the past few decades – and the Venice Film Festival is no exception. Bazaar Arabia shares five films by Arab directors which are being screened at this year’s festivities – and are more than deserving of a place on your must-watch list for Autumn 2022.
Pour La France by Rachid Hami
Algerian director Rachid Hami premiered his second feature film, Pour La France (English title: For My Country), last Friday at the Venice Film Festival. The story follows 23-year-old policeman Aïssa Saïd, played by Shaïn Boumedine, who loses his lift during a brutal initiation ritual for French military school. His older brother Ismaël, played by Karim Leklou, is then forced to sort out the arising issues that follow the tragic incident.
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Nezouh by Soudade Kaadan
A winner of the Luigi De Laurentiis prize for her feature film The Day I Lost My Shadow, director Soudade Kaadan debuted Nezou this past weekend at the festival. Set in Damascus the film follows fourteen-year-old Zeina, played by Hala Zein, and her family, chronicling the heartbreaking challenges they face after their home is destroyed by a series conflict.
Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous by Wissam Charaf
The film’s story follows Syrian refugee, Ahmed, as he makes a new home for himself in Beirut – and eventually meets Ethiopian housemaid, Mehdia, with whom he falls in love. From strict employers to health issues, the couple are forced to reckon with the obstacles of a forbidden relationship.
Queens by Yasmine Benkiran
Three fearless women are the protagonists of Moroccan director Yasmine Benkiran’s first feature drama. The heroines find themselves on a long and dangerous journey as they try to escape the police, whilst also dealing with highly complex personal dilemmas such as having to decide whether or not to follow their own path and risking becoming a social disgrace to their community. The film premieres on September 9 and 10.
My Girlfriend by Kawthar Younis
Screening on September 9 and 10 at the 79th Venice International Film Festival, this short drama by Kawthar Younis focuses on themes surrounding gender roles and self-expression
Lead image courtesy of Instagram /@nisrin_erradi