Latest news with #CasablancaArabFilmFestival
Broadcast Pro
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
MAD Solutions sweeps awards at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
Together, these wins mark a significant moment for MAD Solutions, celebrating a diverse range of Arab voices and cinematic styles that continue to resonate with international audiences and juries alike. MAD Solutions emerged as the dominant force at the closing ceremony of the sixth Casablanca Arab Film Festival, collecting multiple top honours for three of its acclaimed films. The Arab film distribution powerhouse claimed the festival's Grand Prize, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, and a Special Jury Mention. The Grand Prize went to Thank You for Banking with Us!, which also earned the Best Actress Award for Clara Khoury. Directed and written by Laila Abbas, the Palestinian-German co-production had its Moroccan premiere at the festival. The film, a sharp social satire wrapped in a sister-heist comedy, stars Yasmine Al-Masri, Clara Khoury, Kamil Al-Basha and Ashraf Barhoum. It tells the story of two sisters who, after their father's death, attempt to secretly claim his inheritance before their brother discovers it. The film had already garnered recognition internationally, including Best Fiction Feature at the Beirut International Women Film Festival and Best Screenplay at Sweden's Malmö Arab Film Festival. Also featured was This Is My Night, which took home the Best Screenplay Award for writer Kifah Zainie. Directed and produced by Jafra Younes—who also stars in the film—the Syrian-Emirati co-production made its Arab world premiere in Casablanca. The intimate drama follows Ruba, a struggling artist battling deep depression, as she shares her suicidal thoughts with her retired military father. The film had previously debuted at Spain's International Human Rights Festival and features performances by Younes and Hassan Alsaleh, with cinematography by Abdulelah Alawamleh and music by Babel. Rounding out MAD Solutions' achievements was Sudan, Remember Us, which received a Special Mention from the jury. Directed by Hind Meddeb, the French-Tunisian documentary offers a moving look into the lives of five Sudanese political activists who use poetry and protest to challenge their country's oppressive military regime. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Since then, it has been featured in more than 20 global festivals, including those in Ajyal, Marrakech, Berlin, Malmö, and Aswan.
Al-Ahram Weekly
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Palestinian film Thank You for Banking With Us scoops awards at Casablanca Festival - Screens - Arts & Culture
Palestinian film Thank You for Banking With Us won the Grand Prize and Best Actress award at the sixth edition of the Casablanca Arab Film Festival (13-20 June). Thank You for Banking With Us, written and directed by Laila Abbas, won the Grand Prize in the Feature Film Competition. The film follows Mariam and Noura, who discover that their father left a huge sum of money behind after his death. They come up with an elaborate scheme to abscond with the money before their brother, who is legally entitled to half the inheritance, finds out about their father's death. Clara Khoury, an American actress of Palestinian origin, who portrays Maryam in the film, won the Best Actress award. The film also stars Yasmine Al-Massri, Kamel El-Basha, and Ashraf Barhoum. Among numerous recognitions, Khoury attracted particular attention for her role in the comedy-drama In Jerusalem, Love Has Many Roadblocks (Al-Quds fee Yom Akhar, 2002), directed by Hany Abu-Assad. The film, also screened under Rana's Wedding, was nominated for the Critics' Week Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2002. The awards scored in Casablanca add to the many other recognitions that Thank You for Banking With Us garnered over the past months. The film won the Silver Alexander for Best Director at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, the Golden Star at the El Gouna Film Festival, and the Bader Best Feature Film Award at the Ajyal Film Festival. It also won the Best Feature Fiction award at Beirut International Women Film Festival and the Best Screenplay award at Malmö Arab Film Festival, among others. This was not the only Palestinian win at the festival's sixth edition. Maha Haj's short film Upshot won Best Screenplay at the Short Film Competition. The film follows a couple who are withdrawing from the world and carefully constructing a fantasy life. An uninvited guest jeopardizes their reality, bringing forth a devastating revelation from their past. The film stars Mohammad Bakri, Amer Hlehel, and Areen Omari. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Identity
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Identity
'Thank You for Banking With Us'… Tours and Awards in Kenya, the UK, and the Arab World
It received the Grand Award in the Feature Film Competition at the Casablanca Arab Film Festival, as well as the Best Actress Award for Clara Khoury as part of the film's premiere in Morocco. Recently, the film has received a special mention at Human Fest in Spain, highlighting its deep sense of humanity and special artistic treatment of different issues. Within the proceedings of the Safar Film Festival, the film has been screened in multiple British cities. On June 27th, it will be screened in Barbican Cinema 1 in London, as part of the festival's program celebrating the independent Arab cinema. Additionally, three screenings were held on June 11th at the Contact Theatre, Manchester, on June 13th at Plymouth Arts Center, and on June 19th at Hull Independent Cinema.
Al-Ahram Weekly
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Two Egyptian films awarded at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
Two Egyptian films, The Brink of Dreams and Love Bites, won awards at the sixth edition of the Casablanca Arab Film Festival (13-20 June). Nada Riyadh and Ayman El-Amir directed The Brink of Dreams, which received the Jury Prize in the Feature Film Competition. Love Bites, written and directed by Mahmoud Zain, received a Special Mention in the Short Film Competition. The Brink of Dreams follows the story of an all-female Coptic group that formed a theatre troupe to perform plays inspired by Upper Egyptian folklore in their small village. The troupe aims to raise awareness about important issues, like early marriage, domestic violence, and girls' education. The film stars Majda Masoud, Haidi Sameh, Monika Youssef, Marina Samir, Myriam Nassar, Lydia Haroun, and Youstina Samir. In 2024, The Brink of Dreams won the Golden Eye Documentary Prize at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. The film garnered numerous other awards from international festivals, the latest being Best Feature at the 15th edition of Malmö Arab Film Festival (29 April - 5 May). Love Bites is a 12-minute drama starring Sedky Sakhr, Sohila Alanwar, Nadia Hassan, and Mahmoud Yehia. The film tells the story of Hayam, an unmarried 20-year-old girl, who passes away. Her brothers, Zaher and Murad, discover love bites on her neck and chest just before the body washing. This fact hinders the completion of the body washing practice for fear of a scandal. Love Bites premiered at the Aswan International Women's Film Festival (2-7 May 2025), receiving a Special Mention in the Short Film Competition. The film was then screened at the Rotterdam Arab Film Festival (28 May–1 June). This is not the first time Egyptian films have garnered recognition at the Casablanca Arab Film Festival. In 2024, the film Maqsoom was awarded the Best Main Actress prize at the Feature Film Competition, and I Promise You Paradise won the Best Short Film Award at the festival's fifth edition. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Broadcast Pro
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
‘The Wound' set for Moroccan premiere at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
The film will also be released in theaters across Morocco shortly after its Casablanca premiere. After a successful international festival run, The Wound, the debut feature from Moroccan filmmaker Seloua El Gouni, is set to make its national premiere at the Casablanca Arab Film Festival, which runs until June 20. Following screenings at platforms such as Cannes, Beirut and Athens, the Casablanca showing marks a symbolic return home for the acclaimed drama. Shortly after its Moroccan premiere, The Wound will be released in theatres across the country, allowing local audiences to experience what has become one of the most discussed Moroccan films of the year. The film continues its international momentum, having been selected for the Official Competition at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Malta, which runs from June 21 to 29. The Wound centres on Leila, a young Moroccan woman entering adulthood and the workforce, as she attempts to forge her path while grappling with societal expectations and the limitations placed on women. Through her story, the film delves into themes of identity, gender roles, and the tension between tradition and modernity in Morocco. Director Seloua El Gouni describes the film as a journey through the intersection of cultural heritage and the search for personal autonomy, set in a society where the voices of tradition often challenge those of individualism. The film recently held its Arab World premiere at the Beirut International Women's Film Festival and previously earned the Best First Feature Award at the Athens International Art Film Festival. It has also screened at several international events, including the Bridges International Film Festival, the Women and World International Film Festival in the UK, the Scandinavian International Film Festival in Finland, and the Lift-Off Sessions for New Directors in the UK, where it won the Audience Choice Award. Produced by El Gouni and Taha Benghalem, who co-wrote the script with Brice and Brian Baxter, The Wound features performances from Oumaima Barid, Amal Ayouch, Mansour Badri, Brice Bexter, Soraya Azzabi, Abdelhak Saleh and Sami Fekkak, with cinematography by Travis Tips. International sales are managed by MAD World. El Gouni, who previously worked on Hollywood productions such as Men in Black: International and A Hologram for the King, marks her transition into directing with The Wound — an exploration of female agency and cultural identity in contemporary Morocco.
