Q: When is an Arab film not really an Arab film? A: When it is made by people of several nationalities other than Arab. Even if the bearer of an European passport is of Arab origin, s/he does not count. Even so, films made by non-Arabs or sort-of-but-not-really Arabs are featured at the 75th Cannes Film Festival this year and they deal with hot issues in Egypt, Palestine, Tunisia and Syria.
Boy From Heaven
Walad Min Al Janna (Boy from Heaven) directed by Tarik Saleh is among 21 films in the festival’s main competition. The film is a 2022 production by Sweden, France, Finland and Denmark.
The Cannes Festival website says this film tells the story of Adam, son of a fisherman, who is given the chance to study at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. Soon after his arrival in the Egyptian capital, the good news is that Adam becomes the grand imam and the highest-ranking religious leader in the university. Now for the bad news: Adam becomes embroiled in a struggle between Egypt’s religious and political elites. Controversy will reign supreme as the film brings up the taboos of religion and politics. Director Tarik Saleh, who is Swedish of Egyptian origin, filmed a few scenes in Egypt.
Harka
Directed by American-born Lotfy Nathan, Harka is a joint production by France, Luxembourg, Tunisia and Belgium.
Harka is falls into the Un Certain Regard category and is set in Tunisia. Twenty-something Ali ekes out a living selling oil of the black market and dreams of a better future. Suddenly, he finds himself in charge of his two sisters after his father’s death.
Mediterranean Fever
Palestinian director Maha Haj’s Mediterranean Fever tells the story of Waleed, a Palestinian who lives in Haifa with his wife and children. A former hi-tech engineer and aspiring writer, he suffers from depression. One day, Waleed meets his new neighbour, Jalal, who soon becomes a friend. Jalal is a small-time crook but likable rogue with a big heart. Waleed has a plan: he wants Jalal to kill him and make it look as if Waleed had died of natural causes.
Rebel
In the ‘out of the competition’ category is Rebel, which means that although the film does not fit all the festival requirements, someone liked it and it is screened. But it will not win any prizes. Directed by the Belgian dynamic duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Rebel is about Kamal, who decides to change his life for the better when he leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria. On his arrival, he is forced to join a militia and is left stranded in Raqqa. Back home, his younger brother Nassim is easy prey for radical recruiters who promise to reunite him with his brother. Their mother, Leila, fights to protect her younger son. The film is jointly produced by Belgium, Luxembourg and France.
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