As for the jury prize, it was awarded to the film “Jalaldine” by Moroccan filmmaker Hassan Benjelloun. This film, carried by a cast composed mainly of Moroccan actor Yassine Ahjjam and Tunisian actress Fatma Nasser, tells the story of Jalal Eddine who cannot accept the death of his wife and decides to isolate himself until until he finds the light within himself. Twenty years later, Jalal Eddine becomes a Sufi master who lives with his disciples.
This edition’s winners also include the awarding of the prize for best male performance to Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri for his role in the film “The teacher”, the first feature film by director Farah Nabulsi. The prize for best female performance was awarded to Tunisian actress Amina Ben Smaïl for her role in the film “D’entre deux” directed by her compatriot Nada Mezni Hafaiedh.
As for the prize for best screenplay, it went to the Iraqi film “Baghdad Messi” directed by filmmaker Sahim Omar Kalifa.
The best director prize was awarded to Saudi director, producer and writer Ali Al-Kalthami for his film “Night Courier” (Mandoub Al Layl).
In the category of documentary films and short films, we cite in particular the awarding of the festival’s grand prize to the film “Issa” by Egyptian director Morad Mostafa. This short film revolves around Issa, a 17-year-old African who emigrated to Egypt, racing against time after a violent accident, to save his loved ones at all costs.
The jury particularly praised the Syrian film “Les Anges” by director Mahdi Zamanpour Kiasari. The other prizes were distributed as follows: the screenplay prize was awarded to the Lebanese film “You remember” by Dahlia Nemlich, while the directing prize went to Yemeni Adel Al-Himi for his film “Bucket”.
In a statement to MAP, Egyptian actress Bouchra Rosa, member of the jury for fiction and documentary features, immediately noted that “the films screened during this well-made festival stand out for their thematic variety”, noting that Moroccan cinema has a bright future ahead of it and will certainly succeed in conquering a large Arab audience.
For his part, the president of the jury for short films and fiction films at the festival, Syrian actor Aymen Zaydane, one of the most prominent stars in the Arab world in general and in Syria in particular, estimated that the selection committee made an excellent choice of artistic works in competition. He added that these works encouraged the jury to further their research and discussions, which is a testament to their quality.
2024-10-08 22:03:17