94th Academy Awards Arabic Language Submissions
Nine Arabic language feature films were submitted to the 94th Academy Awards competition. Though none of the submissions were ultimately nominated for Best International Feature Film, they represent some of the best cinematography from the region and are worth watching. So, we’ve put together a list of the trailers and summaries for each of the Arabic-language submissions. We’re hoping to create full Fi Kalam reviews and vocabulary lists in the coming months for any that become available for streaming. Please contact us if you know of one that is soon to be released!
Note: Algeria’s submission, Heliopolis, was a repeat from last year after it was withdrawn from the competition due to the pandemic. Likewise, Jordan’s submission, Amira, was withdrawn from consideration after accusations that the film damaged the Palestinian cause.
Algeria’s submission: Heliopolis / هليوبوليس
Heliopolis is a film about French colonialism in Algeria and the demonstrations against it that took place on May 8, 1945. It focuses on the Zianis, a wealthy family in the city of Heliopolis, and the impact these events have on their lives. The movie was written by Salah Eddine Chihani, Kahina Mohamed Oussaid, and Djafar Gacem and was directed by Gacem. Heliopolis debuted in 2020, but wide release of the film was delayed until 2022 due to the pandemic.
Egypt’s submission: Souad / سعاد
Souad, the film’s namesake, is a spunky 19-year old living in Zagazig, a city north of Cairo. Outwardly, she maintains an observant, Muslim lifestyle. Meanwhile, on social media, Souad engages with others using completely different personas. Souad’s online life eventually gets Rabab, her introverted younger sister, caught up in a journey that she must see through.
Read more in our full review of Souad.
Lebanon’s submission: Costa Brava, Lebanon / كوستابرافا
Costa Brava is set in the not-too-distant future when climate change rages and trash piles up on the streets of Beirut. Soraya (Nadine Labaki) and Walid (Saleh Bakri) Badri have carved out a life with themselves despite the widespread destruction around a piece of greenspace - one of the last remaining places of natural beauty. However, the family must defend their treasure and lifeline when the government plans a new landfill in their valley. Costa Brava is directed by Mounia Akl who’s previously created short films like Beirut I Love You (I Love You Not).
Costa Brava is now streamable on Netflix and other platforms.
Morocco’s submission: Casablanca Beats / Haut et Fort / علّي صوتك
Casablanca Beats follows a crew of teenagers in the Sidi Moumen district of Casablanca as they discover rap. Their teacher at a local cultural center, Anas, introduces them to the genre and helps them with their first beats. As the teens explore rap, it opens up wider discussions about the relationship between music, religion, and cultural norms. Casablanca Beats was directed by Nabil Ayouch, whose previous films, Horses of God (2012) and Mektoub (1997), have also been selected for submission to the Academy Awards.
Palestine’s submission: The Stranger / الغريب
The Stranger enters Adnan’s life one day when he spots an unconscious man on the other side of the border fence in the Golan Heights. Adnan is not the best person to have found the stranger because he’s an unlicensed doctor, having not completed his medical studies. However, Adnan carries the man home where he cares for the stranger, a welcomed respite from his difficult existence tending a meager farm. The Stranger is intended to be a trilogy and is director Ameer Fakher Eldin’s debut film, paying tribute to Eldin’s Syrian parents who are from the Golan Heights.
Saudi Arabia’s submission: The Tambour of Retribution / حد الطار
Dayel, an executioner’s son, falls for Shama, a wedding musician’s daughter, in 1990s Riyadh. Their relationship quickly gets complicated when Dayel’s uncle (and caretaker) refuses the match, insisting that Shama is too impoverished to be suitable and instead tries to convince Dayel to marry his own daughter (Dayel’s first cousin). Meanwhile, Shama’s family falls into deeper financial trouble when her cousin is accused of murder and faces the threat of execution for his crimes. The Tambour of Retribution is directed by Abed Al-Aziz Alshelahi.
The Tambour of Retribution is available on Netflix in the US.
Iraq’s submission: Europa / أوروبا
Europa documents the dangers and inhumane conditions of migrants traveling along the “Balkans Route” from Iraq to Europe. Most of the film follows Kamal as he narrowly escapes attack dogs and soldiers, eventually living in the Bulgarian forest as he tries to reach Europe. Though the film is fictional, all the events are based on first hand witness accounts by migrants or documented occurrences from human rights organizations. The stories in Europa were also personal for the director, Haider Rashid, whose own father arrived in Bulgaria from Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war (though not via the present-day Balkans Route).
Tunisia’s submission: Golden Butterfly / فرططو الذهب
Moez, a cruel and hardened police officer, appears unable to relate to others kindly. His own father is a nasty alcoholic, and the film flashes back to scenes from a happier time with Moez’s ex-girlfriend. Nevertheless, when Moez meets a mysterious child who’s slowly losing his ability to see, he agrees to take the child on a journey before he becomes blind. The Golden Butterfly blends fantasy and real-life elements throughout Moez and the child’s time together. Abdelhamid Bouchnak directed the Golden Butterfly and previously created the horror film Dachra.
