Gaza crime thriller among nine Arab films to be shown at Cannes Film Festival

A revenge thriller set in Gaza is among nine Arab films that will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Once Upon a Time in Gaza will feature in the festival’s Un Certain Regard section. The film is set in 2007, when Hamas solidified its control over the Gaza Strip.

It tells the story of Yahya, a student who strikes up a friendship with Ousama, described as “a charismatic dealer with a big heart” in the film’s synopsis.

The two begin selling drugs out of a falafel store, but soon become locked in the crosshairs of a corrupt policeman. After Ousama is murdered, Yahya sets out for revenge. “His encounter with the killer alters everything,” the synopsis teases.

The film is directed by Gaza-born twins Tarzan and Arab Nasser, who are known for their 2020 romantic drama Gaza Mon Amour. That film won awards at the Toronto Film Festival and the Fribourg International Film Festival, among others.

Other Arab films are also screening at this year’s Cannes festival, which runs from May 13 to 24. They include Eagles of the Republic by Swedish-Egyptian filmmaker Tarik Saleh. It revolves around a fictional Egyptian actor George El-Nabawi, who falls into public disgrace. “On the verge of losing everything, George is forced to accept an offer he can't refuse,” the synopsis reads. The film is running in competition.

French filmmaker Hafsia Herzi, who has Tunisian and Algerian roots, is presenting La Petite Derniere, also in the festival’s competition. The film is an adaptation of the 2020 book by Fatima Daas. A coming-of-age story, it revolves around the youngest child of a family of Algerian immigrants who joins a prestigious preparatory school. “But as she moves away from family traditions and begins her life as a young woman, she discovers new codes,” the synopsis reads.

Egyptian filmmaker Morad Mostafa will present Aisha Can’t Fly Away Anymore in the Un Certain Regard section. The film is set in Cairo and its titular protagonist is a 26-year-old Sudanese caregiver for elderly patients. It delves into the nuances of migrant society in Cairo, highlighting the strained relationships between different groups.

Promised Sky by French-Tunisian director Erige Sehiri will open the Un Certain Regard section. Sehiri is known for her poignant character-driven stories, and her latest film is no different. It is inspired by real events in Tunisia in which sub-Saharan migrants were attacked in the media, leading to violence. The film follows Marie, a 40-year-old Ivorian pastor and former journalist. Sehiri's previous feature, Under the Fig Trees (2021) won awards at the Taipei Film Festival and the Pingyao International Film Festival.

Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi's documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk will be screened. The film centres on video conversations between Farsi and Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna in Gaza and paints a portrait of life during war.

Hassouna was killed by an Israeli air strike in April. The attack on Hassouna’s family home in Gaza city occurred a day after the film’s official selection was announced by Acid, a Cannes parallel section dedicated to independent cinema. Nine of her family members also died in the strike.

The President's Cake by Iraqi filmmaker Hasan Hadi will have its world premiere at the festival in the Directors' Fortnight parallel section. The film follows nine-year-old Lamia, who must collect ingredients to bake a cake in honour of Saddam Hussein's birthday – or face severe consequences. The film stars Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem, Waheed Thabet Khreibat and Rahim AlHaj.

Palestinian actor Tawfeek Barhom's I'm Glad You're Dead Now will screen in the Short Films Competition. The film is Barhom's directorial debut and he also stars in it alongside Ashraf Barhom. The film tells the story of two brothers who return to an island from their childhood where long-buried secrets resurface, forcing them to face a haunting past that ties them together.

L'Mina by Moroccan filmmaker Randa Maroufi is screening as part of the Critics' Week short films competition. The film centres on the Moroccan coal mining city Jerada and a rebellion rumbling within the local population.