12 Arabic films to participate in Paris int’l film competition

12 Arabic films will participate in the international film competition to be held in Paris by the end of June, according to the London-based daily al Sharq al Awsat. 

The films participating in event includes the Palestinian film Divine Intervention by Elia Suleiman, which won the 55th Cannes International Film Festival Jury Prize, the Syrian film Sundouq al Dunia (life box) by Usama Mohammed, which was screened for the first time at Cannes festival, and the Mauritanian film Fi Intithar al Saada (waiting for happiness) by Abdel Rahman Sayyed Sako. 

Three Egyptian films will also participate in the competition: Muwaten, Mukhber Wa Harami (Citizen, Detective and Thief) by Daoud Abdel Sayyed, Asrar al Banat (Girls Secrets) by Magdi Ahmed Ali and al Saher (Magician) by the late director Radwan al Kashef. 

Earlier, each of the two films, Muwaten, Mukhber Wa Harami and Asrar al Banat, won four prizes at the 8th National Festival for Egyptian Cinema, while al Saher won two awards at the same festival.  

However, it seems that the jury of Paris competition, headed by Egyptian film star Noor al Sherif, will face a hard task – Albawaba.com