MUST-WATCH ARABIC FILMS TO STREAM
▶ Yousra’s new movie and Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour’s latest work are among the treats available online this month, writes Razmig Bedirian
The Enshrined Saint (Saheb Al Makam) 2020
Egyptian star Yousra’s first feature film in eight years,
The Enshrined Saint, had its pre-cinema release on MBC’s streaming platform Shahid VIP on July 30. The drama revolves around a troubled young businessman (Asser Yassin) whose only hope for a better future is in the hands of a holy woman (Yousra), who tries to bring him closer to God.
Yousra said she usually prefers to play characters “that I have never portrayed before, and so this project definitely appealed to me, as the story itself has not been presented in Egyptian or Arab cinema before”. This is the third film collaboration between Yassin and Yousra.
Where to watch: Shahid VIP
The Perfect Candidate 2020
Directed by Haifaa Al Mansour, one of the most established directors out of Saudi Arabia,
The Perfect Candidate tells the story of Maryam, a young doctor who surprises everyone by standing as a candidate in local municipality elections in the kingdom.
The feature film, which made its debut at the Venice Film Festival last year, was scheduled to show in the region for the first time at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in March, but the event was cancelled due to concerns about Covid-19.
Where to watch: OSN
Give Up the Ghost 2019
Directed by Jordanian filmmaker Zain Duraie, Give Up
the Ghost is a short film that explores the story of a couple facing difficulties with fertility.
Starring Maria Zreik and Ziad Bakri, the film has won a number of awards, including the best Arab short film award at El Gouna Film Festival last year and the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at this year’s Palm Springs International ShortFest. Duraie told The National, the story was inspired by a couple she knew. “I felt like I had an obligation to write about it,” she said.
Where to watch: OSN
Karouma 2015
Karouma is a short Emirati animation that tells the story of a gifted boy who is striving to realise his full potential, with the hopes of flying his parents’ nest and chasing his dreams.
The film by Boubaker Boukhari has toured more than 70 film festivals around the world after its debut in 2016. It won eight awards including Best Animation Film at the Pennine Film Festival, Silver Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival and Best International Expat Short Award at the Korea International Expat Film Festival.
Where to watch: OSN
The Rifle, the Jackal, the Wolf, and the Boy 2016
This coming-of-age parable from Lebanon presents a warning against telling lies, misjudging enemies and spreading vengeance. The short film, directed by Oualid Mouaness, tells the story of two brothers who use their father’s rifle without his consent.
Since its release in 2016, the film has been shown at more than 20 international film festivals, including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. It was also shortlisted for the 89th Academy Awards that year, in the Best Live-Action Short Film category.
Where to watch: OSN
The Parrot 2016
This Jordanian short film is about a Mizrahi Jewish family that emigrates from Morocco to Haifa, Palestine, in 1948, where they find an abandoned parrot in their new home.
Directed by Amjad Al Rasheed and Darin J Sallam, the film stars Tunisian actress Hend Sabri. Since its release in 2016, the short film was screened at many international film festivals and won two Jury Awards at the Malmo Arab Film Festival and Mizna’s Twin Cities Arab Film Festival.
Where to watch: OSN
Ayny 2016
A short animation film by Saudi director Ahmed Salah,
Ayny follows two boys who run away from home to play music, only to get caught up in the perils of war.
The film won the Student Academy Award for Best Foreign Animation in 2016, in addition to more than 20 international awards, including Best Animation at the Lebanon International Film Festival and Best Short Film at the Valletta Film Festival.
Where to watch: OSN
Five Boys and a Wheel 2016
This Jordanian short is about a young father who helps his son resolve a petty conflict with the neighbours. As the parents of the respective families meet to discuss the issue, the discussion quickly spins out of control, putting the values of the father to test.
The 2016 film – directed by Said Zagha – is based on American author Raymond Carver’s short story Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes. The short has won several awards including Golden Wahr Award at the Oran International Arabic Film Festival, Silver Palm Award at the Mexico International Film Festival and Golden Khanje Award at the Muscat International Film Festival.
Where to watch: OSN