The 55th Cannes Film Festival which opened Wednesday, is witnessing the most noticeable Arab participation in the history of the French event, represented by seven Arab films.
The most distinguished Arab participant film is Tadakhul Elahi (Divine Intervention) by the Palestinian director Elia Suleiman, which participates in the formal contest.
Kuwaiti director Walid al Awadhi has recently concluded in London the final touches on his documentary Dreams Without Sleep to be screened at the festival, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The Kuwaiti information ministry sponsored the documentary which deals with the September 11 attacks on the united states from a humanitarian perspective.
It took al Awadhi seven months of hard work in New York and London to complete the job. The whole idea stated by coincidence as al Awadhi himself shot footage of the planes barging into the twin towers of the world trade center.
The 75-minute documentary deals about five immigrates to the united states, including one Arab, and their pursuit of the American dream and how this dream turned into a nightmare after 9-11.
The participating Arabic films include Rashidah by the Algerian director Yasminah Beshir, Fi Entithar al Saadah (Waiting for Happiness) by director Abdel Rahman Sisaco from Mauritania and Ardh Majhoulah (Unknown Land) b the Lebanese director Ghassan Salhab. This is in addition to the film Tadhiyat (Sacrifices) by the Syrian director Osama Mohammed -- Albawaba.com
