The physical 2020 Cannes Film Festival was cancelled last month, amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, organisers have now released a 56-strong list of movies that would have premiered at the prestigious event, including two Arabic films by regional filmmakers.
Broken Keys by Jimmy Keyrouz and Souad by Ayten Amin are among the 56 films to have been selected by festival organisers. The selected films will now feature the Cannes logo when they open in cinemas and other festivals taking place this year.
‘Broken Keys’
Written and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Keyrouz, Broken Keys tells the story of Karim, a pianist in his mid-20s, who dreams of launching a music career in Europe. His war-torn town has been taken over by an extremist group, which has put in place strict rules that ban most modern ways of living. In order to collect the money for his travel to Europe, Karim is forced to sell his piano. However, things get messy when the instrument is shot, and Karim embarks on a perilous journey to repair the broken keys.
The feature film seems to be based on a short that Keyrouz wrote and directed in 2016, titled Nocturne in Black.
‘Souad’
Souad is a drama by Egyptian filmmaker Ayten Amin. The film tells the story of a 12-year-old girl named Rabad, who lives in Zagazig, a small conservative town in Egypt. After her older sister Souad commits suicide, young Rabad embarks on a journey looking for answers.
The drama is presented with an unflinching realism, as the narrative explores the harsh social dynamics that can lead to the suicide of a young girl.
Amin has been working in film for the best part of the last decade. She began her career by making documentary films during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, such as Tahrir 2011: The Good, the Bad, and the Politician. Her 2013 drama Villa 69 tells the story of a terminally ill architect, who is forced to change his solitary ways after his sister and grandson move in with him.
2020 Cannes list explored
There are a number of other films in the 2020 Cannes selection by filmmakers with roots in the Middle East, including the French films Passion Simple by Lebanese-born filmmaker Danielle Arbid and AND (DNA) by Maiwenn, who is of a mixed Algerian, Vietnamese and French ancestry.
Some of the other films in this year's official selection include Wes Anderson's French Dispatch, Francois Ozon's Summer of 85, Naomi Kawase's True Mothers and two films by Steve McQueen, Lovers Rock and Mangrove.
Though the films may not be getting a red carpet viewing this year, it is still good to see a selection of regional films sport the Cannes badge of honour in a bid to boost their distribution potential.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Naga
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMeshal%20Al%20Jaser%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdwa%20Bader%2C%20Yazeed%20Almajyul%2C%20Khalid%20Bin%20Shaddad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE SPECS
Cadillac XT6 2020 Premium Luxury
Engine: 3.6L V-6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 367Nm
Price: Dh280,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Fringe@Four Line-up
October 1 - Phil Nichol (stand-up comedy)
October 29 - Mandy Knight (stand-up comedy)
November 5 - Sinatra Raw (Fringe theatre)
November 8 - Imah Dumagay & Sundeep Fernandes (stand-up comedy)
November 13 - Gordon Southern (stand-up comedy)
November 22 - In Loyal Company (Fringe theatre)
November 29 - Peter Searles (comedy / theatre)
December 5 - Sinatra’s Christmas Under The Stars (music / dinner show)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
ICC T20 Rankings
1. India - 270 ranking points
2. England - 265 points
3. Pakistan - 261 points
4. South Africa - 253 points
5. Australia - 251 points
6. New Zealand - 250 points
7. West Indies - 240 points
8. Bangladesh - 233 points
9. Sri Lanka - 230 points
10. Afghanistan - 226 points
