Arab Filmmakers Celebrate Major Wins at Cannes Film Festival 2025
- Nada Armanious
At the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Arab cinema received well-deserved recognition, with several films and filmmakers earning prestigious awards across various sections. Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about the major Arab achievements at Cannes this year.
Photo provided by Jacquemus
Kicking things off, Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Palestinian directors Tarzan and Arab Nasser won Best Director in the Un Certain Regard section for their film set during Hamas’ takeover of Gaza. Iraqi film The President’s Cake, set in Saddam-era Iraq and directed by Hasan Hadi, took home the Caméra d’Or for Best First Feature as well as the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award.
Photo provided by Jacquemus
Aisha Can’t Fly Away, a collaborative production between Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, marked a milestone as the first Egyptian film to be selected for Un Certain Regard since 2016. It was directed by Egyptian filmmaker Morad Mostafa.
The Little Sister by French-Tunisian director Hafsia Herzi, adapted from Fatima Daas’s novel, won the Queer Palm, and lead actress Nadia Melliti received the Best Actress award.
Lastly, Thank You for Banking With Us by Palestinian director Laila Abbas won Best Feature Film at the Critics’ Awards for Arab Films.