CANNES: A boy who takes his parents to court for having him is one of a wave of Arab films making people sit up and take notice at the Cannes film festival.
Not since 1970 have two Arab films been in the running for the Palme d’Or top prize and female Arab directors are particularly making a splash this year.
Lebanese film-maker Nadine Labaki’s highly-anticipated third film “Capernaum” — about a 12-year-old boy with an axe to grind about being born into a miserable, loveless existence — has racked up a string of distribution deals ahead of its premiere late Thursday.
And two first-time female directors made impressive debuts with films about suffocating social conventions in Syria and Morocco.
But while the #MeToo movement continued to make waves, with several Hollywood actresses ditching frilly frocks for pants for their photo shoots, Arab film-makers appeared more concerned with social alienation.
Labaki, who set her first film “Caramel” in a Beirut beauty parlour, zooms in on neglected children and migrants in “Capernaum,” which has drawn comparisons with Charlie Chaplin’s story of a street boy, “The Kid.”
Labaki said she found the idea staring her in the face one night when she was driving home from a party.
“I stopped at a traffic light and saw a child half-asleep in the arms of his mother, who was sitting on the tarmac begging.”
The encounter spurred her to use a mostly hard-up, amateur cast including a Syrian refugee child for the lead role.
Going toe-to-toe with her and the likes of Spike Lee for the Palme d’Or — won only twice in 70 years by Arab directors — is A.B. Shawky, with his feel-good first feature about an Egyptian leper and his orphan friend, also played by amateurs.
A year after the award-winning “The Nile Hilton Incident,” a noirish tale of murder and corruption set during the 2011 revolution in Cairo, “Yomeddine” serves up less political fare.
“What I really want to do is highlight marginalized groups. I wanted to give a voice to people who don’t necessarily have anybody to speak for them,” said Austrian-Egyptian writer-director Shakwy.
Similarly, the Moroccan entry about an unmarried woman threatened with jail for falling pregnant is actually more preoccupied with class divisions.
The film shows a middle-class, 20-year-old from a Casablanca family scrambling to avoid bringing shame on her family after an unwanted pregnancy.
The real victim in the affair, however, is not the one left holding the baby.
“I found that the debate about the condition of women in the Arab world was being reduced to the issue of patriarchy and chauvinism, which to me falls short of the mark,” director Meryem Benm’Barek told AFP.
“Whether you are a man or a woman, what determines whether or not you are a victim is your social status,” she said.
Tunisia director Mohamed Ben Attia’s “Dear Son,” about a father trying to trace his son who has run away to join the Daesh group, is also more family drama than a political broadside.
The birthplace of the Arab Spring, which has been mired in economic crisis ever since, is estimated to have supplied more militants in Syria than any other country.
Ben Attia, who won acclaim with “Hedi,” about a young man torn between duty and passion in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution, tries to tease out the malaise behind the lure of Daesh for disaffected Muslim youths.
Like Labaki, Shawky and Benm’Barek, he believes the story could be transposed to many parts of the globe.
“There is a sort of misery, not only spiritual but emotional, not so much a thirst for ideology as a desire to walk away from this lifestyle... and all the values that are foisted on us.
“They could be living in Paris or elsewhere, it’s the same,” Ben Attia added.
War and unfulfilled desires also collide in the Syrian film, “My Favourite Fabric,” the first film of Paris-based Syrian director Gaya Jiji.
French-Lebanese actress Manal Issa puts in a standout performance as a sullen young Syrian fantasising about sexual abandon and escaping to the West as the war drums begin to beat in early 2011.
She carried her protest over onto the red carpet at Cannes, where she held up a placard reading “Stop the Attack on Gaza.”
Gaza also made it onto the big screen, in a documentary by Italian filmmaker Stefano Savona about the massacre of an extended Palestinian family in 2009 that received rave reviews.
With Saudi Arabia also unveiling big tax breaks for filmmakers at Cannes — Arab cinema may be entering a new era.
Arab cinema back with a bang; bringing lepers, lust and class conflict to Cannes
Arab cinema back with a bang; bringing lepers, lust and class conflict to Cannes
- Not since 1970 have two Arab films been in the running for the Palme d’Or top prize and female Arab directors are particularly making a splash this year.
- Nadine Labaki, who set her first film ‘Caramel’ in a Beirut beauty parlour, zooms in on neglected children and migrants in ‘Capernaum.’
Saudi ‘farm for experimentation’ on show in Milan exhibition
- The curators of the Saudi Pavilion at the Triennale Milano discuss their Al-Ahsa-inspired work
AL-AHSA: Saudi Arabia’s lush oasis of Al-Ahsa will be in full bloom in Italy next week at the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, which runs from May 13 to Nov. 9 at Milan’s Palazzo dell’Arte.
Al-Ahsa is officially recognized as the world’s largest oasis, and is home to more than 2.5 million date palms.
The Kingdom’s debut pavilion at the exhibition is “Maghras: A Farm for Experimentation,” which, according to the exhibition’s website, is “structured as a transplanted maghras — a unit of land demarcated by four palm trees” and “symbolically frames the dialogues, material traces, soundscapes of field recordings, and speculative gestures emerging from the space.”
The pavilion, commissioned by the Architecture and Design Commission under the Ministry of Culture, and curated by longtime friends Lulu Almana and Sara Al-Omran, along with US-based creative director Alejandro Stein, is inspired by Al-Ahsa’s Al-Sbakh Farm, established by the late Noura AlMousa. The farm is now managed by the Abdulmonem Alrashed Humanitarian Foundation (named after its founder, AlMousa’s son) and the Noura AlMousa House for Culture and Arts, housed in AlMousa’s former home.
“We’re really continuing on the lineage of the matriarch,” Al-Omran tells Arab News when we meet the curators at the farm. “Her spirit feels very present because she really cared about craft and culture.”
Almana and Al-Omran commissioned three Saudi artists to work on the pavilion: Leen Ajlan, a London-based designer from Jeddah; Mohammed Alfaraj, a contemporary artist whose family have been farming in Al-Ahsa for generations; and Tara Aldughaither, founder of Sawtasura, an audio research and learning platform focused primarily on female voices.
Through videos, sound installations, and participatory programs, the pavilion will invite visitors to engage with the evolving agricultural ecosystems of Al-Ahsa.
The maghras concept symbolically ties the exhibition to the land, offering an immersive experience that bridges past traditions with contemporary agricultural practices.
“Technically, there are three participating artists but it’s more than that — there is a big team,” Almana says. “Then there’s all the research that’s being displayed through illustrations and maps and texts that the team worked on. There’s also all the programs and workshops that have been a big part of it.” The fruits of this collective effort will be published in a book later this year.
Al-Omran explains that her grandparents are from Al-Ahsa. “I always hear, particularly from my grandfather, these stories of Al-Ahsa. And when he speaks about it, it feels like this mythical place that doesn’t really connect to what I see here (now),” she says. “I grew up in (Alkhobar), but would come here every week. Many of my best memories were here; running around on the farm, seeing the frogs and the rabbits and the sheep and playing around. And also understanding seasons and seeing crops and produce. But through conversations with him, I saw this contrast of the place that he talks about and the place I’m witnessing. And I realize that it’s really within a lifetime that the environment has shifted so much.”
Al-Omran’s family, including her grandfather, attended the opening event at Al-Sbakh Farm last autumn, where they saw their hometown celebrated in a new light.
“They’re proud. They’re really happy to see that Al-Ahsa is spoken about,” Al-Omran says. “They see that it’s not just about the past, but a way of thinking about the future.”
The unfolding narrative of the project has emphasized community engagement. “It was really nice and natural,” says Almana. “It didn’t feel forced in any way. People were saying, ‘You’re doing something important.’ It felt impactful despite its small gestures.”
After nearly a decade of living abroad in large, congested cities including London and New York, Almana says the initial intention for this project, for her, “was that I needed to get rooted into a place, build knowledge, and build a community of like-minded people who share similar concerns, questions and values: How do we preserve the identity of a place that’s constantly changing? How do we share our concerns and ideas for regeneration, for reviving certain things? It matters to build a community around these questions. Then everything becomes more meaningful and interesting.”
Almana had only visited Al-Ahsa briefly up until five years ago, during COVID, when she finally spent a significant amount of time there. She found the place inspirational. “It hit me that there’s this urban-rural tension. The big cities get attention, but the rural, historic agricultural places are overshadowed. I wanted to dive into agriculture and build a community of like-minded people,” she says.
Almana’s partnership with Al-Omran added an insider’s perspective to the project. In Milan, visitors will experience the “true essence” of Al-Ahsa, the pair say.
“We really wanted to represent Maghras in the most authentic way,” Almana explains. “It’s a community-based project within a morphing landscape, not just a static thing.”
And Milan, she hopes, is just the start. “We want this to grow into something longer-term, and we’ve conveyed that to the ministry, which supports this vision,” she says.
Al-Omran stresses the amount of research that was involved in creating the pavilion. “We’re looking at a display of research material that we assembled for our first event back in October. And at that point we had spent about three or four months looking at archival research and doing a lot of interviews.”
The first activation was both a presentation and a checkpoint.
“We wanted to take a moment to sift through the material we’d come across and the conversations we’d listened to. It was important to do that during the opening, where we welcomed the community and spoke about the project, because it was important to hear people’s reflections on the research as it emerges; we felt that would influence the direction,” she says.
“Sometimes we don’t really realize what’s lost until generations have passed. And it felt like we were in a moment where the shifts are happening,” she continues. “So it felt urgent to talk about it now, while that generation is still around.”
Recipes for Success: Chef Soner Muran offers advice and a tasty fried mussels recipe
DUBAI: Soner Muran may have sharpened his culinary skills at one of Turkey’s top schools, but it was his grandmother’s cooking that lit the initial fire.
“My earliest memory is grilling sardines with my grandmother. The smell of the sea and the fire stayed with me. I knew early on this was what I wanted to do,” Muran tells Arab News.
“I started studying in the most famous chef school in Turkey (Bolu Mengen Culinary School) when I was 14. After four years of education, I started working in Istanbul’s fine-dining restaurants,” he continues.
Muran is now head chef at Sur.Dubai — inspired by SurBalik, a seafood restaurant that has been a cornerstone of Istanbul’s culinary scene for 20 years. Sur.Dubai has a Mediterranean-inspired menu that highlights the coastal heritage of Turkey’s Aegean and Mediterranean regions.
“We cook fish over a wood fire, which is rare in Dubai,” says Muran. “That fire adds depth, smoke, and tradition. Our flavors are bold but simply focused on quality seafood, modern touches, treated with respect.”
Here, Muran talks about his love for seafood and his favorite dish to cook, and shares a simple fried mussels recipe.
What was the most common mistake you made when you were starting out?
I used too many ingredients. I thought more meant better. But great cooking is about balance, not showing off. Now, I focus on fewer elements, greater techniques, and give extra care to every single ingredient in a dish.
What’s your top tip for amateur chefs (cooking at home)?
Reduce ready-made items. If possible, avoid buying them altogether. Good food takes a little time, even if it’s simple. Take your time to cook better food. Also, taste as you go. Trust your senses.
What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish?
Olive oil. A splash of acidity can lift flavors, balance richness and bring freshness. Especially with seafood, it’s magic.
When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food?
Yes, it’s hard to switch off. I don’t judge harshly, but I notice details.
What’s the most common issue you find in other restaurants?
The most common issue is lack of seasoning or dishes that try to do too much.
What’s your favorite cuisine?
Seafood, always. I like to see how other chefs handle it — how fresh it is, how it’s cooked, what flavors they use. It tells me a lot about the restaurant. And I just love seafood; it’s clean, light, and full of character.
What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home?
A simple risotto with parmesan and lemon. It’s comforting, quick if you keep stirring, and you can adjust it based on what you have — like peas, herbs, or shrimp. It feels special even when it’s simple.
What customer request most frustrates you?
When guests ask for a perfectly cooked fish, then ask for it well done. Or when people expect fast-food timing from a wood-fire kitchen. Good things take time.
What’s your favorite dish to cook?
Olive oil braised root vegetables with a nicely grilled wild seabass together with some butter-glazed mussels.
What’s the most difficult dish for you to get right (whether on your current menu or not)?
Bouillabaisse. It’s a traditional French seafood stew, but making it properly is complex. The broth needs depth from the fish bones, shellfish, and herbs. Timing is everything — each seafood needs different cooking times. It’s a dish that tests your control and your palate.
As a head chef, what are you like? Are you a disciplinarian?
I’m focused but fair. I don’t shout — I lead by example. I want my team to love what they do but also take pride in doing it well. Respect is key, both ways.
Chef Soner’s fried mussels recipe
Mix 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, salt, pepper, and cold sparkling water into a thick batter.
Dip cleaned mussels in batter.
Deep fry at 180°C until golden (2–3 mins).
Drain and serve hot with tarator sauce.
Tarator Sauce
Soak and squeeze stale bread (1 cup).
Blend with 1/2 cup walnuts, 3–4 garlic cloves, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, and salt.
Add water if needed for a smooth texture.
Serving Tip:
Serve with pickles and fresh coriander leaves for extra flavor.
Deal signed to promote Saudi cultural heritage
- MoC signs agreement with Boutique Group
- Agreement covers several cultural fields
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture has signed a cooperation agreement with Boutique Group to promote the Kingdom’s rich heritage.
Deputy Minister of Culture for National Partnerships and Talent Development Noha Kattan signed the agreement with Boutique Group CEO Christophe Mares in Diriyah.
Kattan emphasized that the partnership aligns with the ministry’s goals of preserving the nation’s heritage and culture, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
She added that the agreement honors the Kingdom’s rich history and contributes to building a future that values tradition and encourages global cultural creativity.
Mares expressed his company’s pleasure in the new partnership, which will focus on providing a unique and luxurious experience that reflects Saudi Arabia’s cultural identity.
He said the company will represent each region’s culture by incorporating its visual styles, sounds, and traditions into palace operations.
The agreement covers several cultural fields to showcase the Kingdom’s heritage in creative and contemporary ways, the SPA reported.
This will be achieved by integrating Saudi cuisine into the culinary experience, dressing hotel staff in traditional attire, and infusing palace designs with cultural symbols.
Jameela Jamil lands role in new film on Korea
DUBAI: Actress, body positivity activist and presenter Jameela Jamil, known for her role in “The Good Place,” is set to star in “Pyongyang Home Video,” a new drama based on true events.
She will star alongside “Squid Game” actor Won Ji-an.
The film follows North Korean sisters Nari (Ji-an) and Hana, who grow up secretly watching banned Hollywood movies. When their father’s black market VHS operation is exposed by a neighbor, the sisters are forced to flee the country. As they navigate their dangerous escape, they use scenes from their favorite films to deal with the mental toll the journey takes on them. Years later, Nari meets American talk show host Serena (Jamil), who vows to reunite the sisters on live television — only for the broadcast to take an unforeseen and revealing turn.
Hailing from Imagine Entertainment and South Korea’s Desert Bloom Pictures, the film will be directed by award-winning Korean filmmaker Yoon Sung-hyun, famous for his movie “Bleak Night.”
The screenplay comes from Liz Kerin, an American screenwriter, novelist and acclaimed playwright best known for the vampire series “Night’s Edge.”
Jamil shared the news on Instagram, writing: “She’s doing a proper movie!!!!”
The actress has a few productions in the works.
Jamil is set to star in “Hysterical,” a feminist dramedy created by Olivia Lee and loosely based on real-life events involving controversial internet personality Andrew Tate.
Jamil stars alongside Naomie Harris and Romesh Ranganathan.
Jamil has also lent her voice to the Pixar animated film, “Elio,” which is set for release on June 20. Jamil will be voicing the character of Ambassador Questa.
“Elio” follows an 11-year-old boy named Elio, who accidentally becomes the ambassador for Earth after being transported across the galaxy.
The movie also features the voices of Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Remy Edgerly as his alien best friend Glordon, Academy Award winner Zoe Saldana as Elio’s Aunt Olga, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, and Shirley Henderson as OOOOO.
Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the film is produced by Mary Alice Drumm.
AlUla institution to select Saudi artist for residency in Paris
- Initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia
- Artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program
RIYADH: A cultural institution in AlUla plans to select a Saudi artist to host a residency in Paris in an effort to promote French artisanal traditions in the Kingdom.
The artist will be chosen by Basmah Felemban and Gael Charbau, artistic directors of AlUla’s Villa Hegra.
A collaboration with the Mobilier National, a French governmental body that produces and preserves artisanal furniture, the initiative aims to bring France’s creative expertise to Saudi Arabia.
The artist will also join Villa Hegra in AlUla for a residency organized by the institution’s cultural program.
Villa Hegra is a planned initiative that hosts a variety of artist residencies, creative spaces for cultural initiatives, an exhibition hall, a cinema and performance art studio.
The partnership between Villa Hegra and the Mobilier National will also involve displaying a selection of design pieces from the French organization’s collections at AlUla.
Herve Lemoine, the president of Manufactures Nationales, said: “This partnership continues the Mobilier National’s rich tradition of collaboration with cultural villas, bringing French artisanal excellence to creative spaces around the world.”
Feriel Fodil, the CEO of Villa Hegra, said: “This long-term collaboration also strengthens Villa Hegra’s primary mission: To promote artistic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, while celebrating their respective artisanal heritages.”
Villa Hegra was officially announced in an intergovernmental agreement signed on Dec. 4, 2021, by Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, then-French minister for foreign affairs.
One of Villa Hegra’s goals is to foster cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France.
Fodil previously told Arab News’ French edition: “It is a state-to-state initiative that represents the willingness of two parties to collaborate at the cultural level.”
