Nadine Labaki is a Lebanese and Canadian actress, director, and activist. Labaki first came into the spotlight as an actress in the early 2000s. Her filmmaking career began in 2007 after the release of her debut film, Caramel, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She is known for demonstrating everyday aspects of Lebanese life and covering a range of political issues such as war, poverty, and feminism. She is the first female Arab director to be nominated for an Oscar in the category for Best Foreign Language Film for her third directorial effort, Capernaum (2018).
Middle Eastern cinema collectively refers to the film industries of West Asia and part of North Africa. By definition, it encompasses the film industries of Egypt, Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. As such, the film industries of these countries are also part of the cinema of Asia, or in the case of Egypt, Africa.
Zadok "Duki” Dror, is an independent Israeli filmmaker whose films explore issues of migration, identity and displacement.
The cinema of Lebanon, according to film critic and historian Roy Armes, is the only other cinema in the Arabic-speaking region, beside Egypt's, that could amount to a national cinema. Cinema in Lebanon has been in existence since the 1920s, and the country has produced more than 500 films.
Danielle Arbid is a French filmmaker of Lebanese origin who has been directing films since 1997.
The cinema of Iraq went through a downturn under Saddam Hussein's regime. The development of film and film-going in Iraq reflects the drastic historical shifts that Iraq has experienced in the 20th century. The Iraq War which began in 2003 had an influence on many films being produced.
Koutaiba Al-Janabi is a British-based Iraqi filmmaker, director and photographer. He filmed Wasteland: Between London and Baghdad and the 2010 award-winning film, Leaving Baghdad. He is a member of the Hungarian Society of Cinematographers.
Mohamed Al-Darraji is an Iraqi-Dutch film director. He studied theater in Iraq, and cinematography and directing in England. He is known for his drama films, which focus on political affairs in the Middle East and their effects on interpersonal relationships.
Nujoom Alghanem is an Emirati poet, artist and film director. She has published eight poetry collections and has directed more than twenty films. Alghanem is active in her community and is considered a well established writer and filmmaker in the Arab world. Her achievements in the arts have been recognized both nationally and internationally. She is the cofounder of Nahar Productions, a film production company based in Dubai. Currently she works as a professional mentor in filmmaking and creative writing, as well as a cultural and media consultant.
Dreams is a 2006 Iraqi film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji. It was Iraq's submission to the 79th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Parine Jaddo is an Iraqi Arab Americanfilm director.
Kasim Abid is an Iraqi filmmaker, director, producer and cameraman.
In My Mother's Arms (Fi Ahdan Ummi) is a 2011 Iraqi film. The film is written and directed by Atia Al Daradji and Mohamed Al-Daradji, who are also the co-producers with Isabelle Stead. It stars Husham Al Thabe, Saif Slaam and Mohamed Wael. The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011.
A growing number of film festivals are held in the Arab world to showcase films from the region as well as international standouts. In addition, institutions and organizations in other parts of the world are increasingly honoring the new generation of filmmakers in the Arab world with Arab film festivals.
In the Sands of Babylon is a 2013 Iraqi, British, Dutch drama film directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji, Variety's Middle Eastern Filmmaker of the year 2010.
Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) is an Arab film festival based in Malmö, Sweden. MAFF is widely regarded as the most influential and largest Arabic film festival in Europe, and is the only one in Scandinavia. The first edition was held in 2011 and today the festival presents a broad selection of films made by Arab filmmakers or that in some way connects with questions of the Arab world or culture.
Yasmin Raeis is an Egyptian actress. She started her acting career in a television series called "3ard khas". In addition, she was the main character under the supervision of the movie director Mohamed Khan in a movie called "Factory Girl", a movie that was a big success and won a lot of prizes, both locally and internationally.
Eliane Raheb is a documentary filmmaker and director from Lebanon. She made her debut as a director with her 2012 film, Layali Bala Noom. Her latest film is Miguel's War from 2021. That film received the Teddy Award for best LGBTW film at the 2021 Berlin International Film Festival.
The Journey is a 2017 Iraqi drama film written and directed by Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Upon premiering on 1 March 2018 in Iraq, the film became the first Iraqi film in 27 years to be released in the theaters of Iraq. It was selected as the Iraqi entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.
Baghdad Messi is a 2023 drama film directed by Sahim Omar Kalifa and with a screenplay by Kobe Van Steenberghe from a story by Kobe Van Steenberghe and Ruth Mallaerts. It is about an Iraqi boy who, after losing his leg in a terrorist attack, will fight to continue enjoying his passion: soccer. It is based on the 2012 short film of the same name by the same director. It is a co-production between Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Iraq.
