Arab Movies Slated for Debut at Venice Film Festival 2025
Venice Film Festival Returns with a Powerful Lineup
The Venice Film Festival is gearing up for its 82nd edition, running from August 28 to September 7. This year's event promises to be a memorable one, with a diverse selection of films from around the world.
One of the most anticipated films at the festival is The Voice of Hind Rajab, a drama directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. Based on a real case, the film tells the harrowing story of a six-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in a car under fire during the Israeli invasion of Gaza in early 2024. The film reconstructs Hind's final moments through actual phone call recordings and eyewitness accounts, providing a poignant and personal look at the tragedy of civilian casualties during conflict.
Kaouther Ben Hania, known for her documentary Four Daughters, was deeply moved by the audio of Hind’s call and felt compelled to create this film. She aims to preserve the memory of Hind and resist collective amnesia about such tragedies through cinema. The film is set to premiere in the main competition at the festival, where it is nominated for the Golden Lion.
Another noteworthy film at the festival is Calle Malaga, directed by Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani. Set in a Spanish port city, the film focuses on a Moroccan domestic worker living abroad, continuing Touzani's interest in marginalized characters.
The festival has also become a key platform for films from the Mena region, with Coyotes by Palestinian-British filmmaker Said Zagha being one of the highlights. The title refers to those who facilitate illegal crossings, often at great personal cost to those they transport. In this short film, Zagha explores how socio-economic pressure and limited opportunities shape decisions around migration.
The festival will open with Paolo Sorrentino's La Grazia and close with Cedric Jimenez's Dog 51. Other films showing at the festival include Who is Still Alive, a documentary by Nicolas Wadimoff that gathers testimonies from Palestinians living under prolonged occupation and siege in Gaza, and Hijra, a film by Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen that follows a woman who leaves her familiar environment, exploring themes of female autonomy, social restriction, and personal change.
In addition, the festival will feature My Father and Qaddafi, a documentary by Jihan Kikhia that examines the life and disappearance of her father, Mansour Kikhia, who was a former Libyan foreign minister turned human rights advocate. Kikhia was abducted in Cairo in 1993, and his body was not recovered until 2012 following the collapse of Muammar Qaddafi's regime.
With its diverse and powerful lineup, the Venice Film Festival promises to be an unforgettable event this year. Be sure to catch these and many other films when the festival kicks off in August.
- The news of the Venice Film Festival's 82nd edition, happening from August 28 to September 7, has been making waves in the general-news circles.
- Sports enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for the return of sports-betting discussions in the entertainment section, as the festival will likely attract bettors for sports like basketball.
- Amidst the political tensions between Israel and Oman, the European opinion on the premiering film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' is awaited.
- Lifestyle enthusiasts may find an interest in 'Calle Malaga', a film by Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani, set in a Spanish port city.
- Fashion-and-beauty websites are abuzz with discussions on how the festival's red-carpet events will reflect the current trends in fashion.
- Food-and-drink connoisseurs are currency discussing the possible culinary collaborations and events around the festival.
- Home-and-garden magazines are anticipating stories from the festival, especially any insights into the luxurious Venetian villas hosting this event.
- With the climate emergency being a global concern, some films at the festival, such as 'Who is Still Alive', may have opinion-formative impacts on the climate debate.
- Movies-and-TV producers are closely watching the festival for potential collaborations and opportunities, especially with the emergence of signature films like 'The Voice of Hind Rajab'.
- The books section will eagerly await news on the launch of any memoirs or biographies, especially with the premiere of 'My Father and Qaddafi', a documentary by Jihan Kikhia.
- Crime-and-justice debates could potentially find new fuel with films like 'Coyotes', which explores decisions around migration affected by socio-economic pressures and limited opportunities.
