MENA films to watch out for in the 2025 Oscar race

More than half of the officially recognized MENA countries have already selected their national films for consideration in the upcoming 97th Academy Awards nominations for Best International Film.

The finalists will be announced on January 17, and the ceremony will take place on March 3, 2025.

In addition, Germany presented the most discussed The seed of the Holy Fig by Mohammad Rasoulof, a film set entirely in Iran that led to the director’s prison sentence and subsequent exile.

Meanwhile, Jordan chose to compete with a candid story that offers a close look at Nagorno-Karabakh conflict—a narrative unrelated to the Jordanian context but supported by The Jordan Film Fund.

A notable trend among the other contenders is their preference for classic genre narrative structures, a characteristic that may increase their chances of recognition in the context of the North American film industry, which is heavily influenced by the Hollywood genre-based model.

Ahead of the 2025 Oscars, The new Arab take a look at the entries for the Best International Film nominations:

Algiers (2024)

Director: Chakib Taleb-Bendiab – Algeria

When the kidnapping of a young girl raises a wave of tension and suspicion throughout the city, Dounia, an intelligent psychiatrist, teams up with Sami, a hired police inspector, to uncover Algeria’s haunting past and solve a baffling mystery.

Taleb-Bendiab’s debut film had its world premiere at Flickers Rhode Island Film Festivalwhere it won the Grand Prix for Best Picture.

Produced as a co-production between Algeria and Canada, the film features the established Algerian actor Nabil Asliwhose star rose in Merzak Allouache repenterwhich was projected in the Directors’ Fiftieth section from Cannes Film Festival 2012.

Flight 404 (2024)

Director: Hani Khalifa – Egypt

With only days left until her pilgrimage to Mecca for the Hajj, Ghada faces an urgent financial crisis, forcing her to seek help from people she had distanced herself from long ago.

As she reconnects with this tainted part of her past, the question arises: Will she be able to overcome the challenge in time for the Hajj, or will this return to old ties drag her back into the troubled life she left behind?

With a popular Egyptian actress Mona Zaki, Flight 404 is a domestic box-office hit and in February 2024 received a limited release in the US and Canada through the distributor Ceema Filmsa company that focuses on bringing Arabic films to international theaters.

Later, the film was also distributed in Sweden, Denmark, Austria and the Netherlands.

In the Arms of the Tree (2023)

Director: Babak Lotfi Khajepasha – Iran

Before being chosen for the Oscar race, the film had already been shown at both Shanghai International Television Festival and the Fajr Film Festival.

The story delves into the complicated life struggles of Kimia and Farid, a married couple of twelve years, whose actions shatter the peaceful and innocent world of their children – children who have only known simplicity and kindness.

The film ultimately underscores the meaning of love, connection, and the delicate effort required to keep a family together in times of crisis.

“For me, the family is one of the most important foundations of human society and I think we should do everything we can to preserve it. From the very beginning, I wanted to create something meaningful,” said the director Babak Lotfi Khajepaşa in an interview with the Tehran Times.

Baghdad Messi (2023)

Director: Sahim Omar Kalifa – Iraq

This is the extended version of the director’s short film of the same title, which was shortlisted in 2014 in the Live-Action Short category of the 87th Academy Awards.

Based on the screenplay and short story by Kobe Van Steenberghe, the film introduces Hamoudi, an 11-year-old boy passionate about football, who dreams of becoming as great as his idol, Lionel Messi.

However, his life takes a tragic turn when he becomes the victim of a failed suicide bombing in Iraq, resulting in the loss of his leg.

Despite his parents’ efforts to protect the family from further harm, Hamoudi remains determined to fight for his dream, refusing to let tragedy define his future.

Kurdish director from Belgium Sahim Omar Khalifa shot the film in 2021 in Kurdistan Region, Iraq, the same location where the short film was shot.

My Sweet Land (2024)

Director: Sareen Hairabedian – Jordan

Produced primarily by the US-based production company HAI Creative, Sareen HairabedianHis debut documentary feature received financial support from the Jordan Film Fund, so the country’s committee decided to send him as an official representative.

Armenian-Azerbaijani are approached conflict over the territory of Artsakh in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which has been at the center of a violent dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia since the 1980s.

The plot follows eleven-year-old Vrej, who dreams of becoming a dentist in his village of Artsakh, but when conflict resurfaces, his family is forced to flee.

They return to a ruined homeland after their people lose the war. Faced with harsh new realities, Vrej struggles with the burden of his dreams and the trauma of war as he prepares for the challenges ahead.

The film premiered at Sheffield DocFest and went on to be screened at several festivals, including the Amman International Film Festivalwhere it won both the Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature Film and the FIPRESCI Award for Best Arabic Documentary Feature Film.

Everybody Loves Touda (2024)

Director: Nabil Ayouch – Morocco

Director established Nabil Ayouch represents Morocco in the Oscar race for the sixth time with a drama that explores the country’s Sheikhat tradition – a form of sung poetry performed by women that originated in rural communities in the 19th century.

The screenplay is co-written by Maryam Touzaniwhose directorial hit adamant (2019) featured actress Nisrin Erradi in a strong performance and she also plays the lead in Everyone loves Touda.

Here, Erradi plays Touda, a young woman who aspires to restore Sheikhat’s lost glory. Instead, she finds herself performing in provincial bars, objectified by lustful men.

Determined to change her fate, Touda plans to leave her small village for the bustling city of Casablanca, where she hopes to be recognized as a true artist and secure a better future for herself and her son.

From Ground Zero (2024)

Director: Rashid Masharawi – Palestine

Amidst the daily images of death and destruction from Gaza as Israel continues its aggressive attacks, this year’s Palestinian film offers a different perspective on life in the region.

From Ground Zero is a compelling initiative featuring 22 short films by talented Gazan filmmakers.

Directed by the famous Palestinian director Rashid Masharawithe project emerged amid an ongoing conflict and aims to give young artists a platform to express their perspectives.

Each short film, spanning between 3 and 6 minutes, offers a unique view of life in Gaza, depicting the challenges, tragedies and resilience experienced by its people.

With a variety of genres – fiction, documentary, docu-fiction, animation and experimental cinema – the collection presents a rich array of stories that reflect the sadness, joy and hope inherent in life in Gaza.

Despite the difficult filming conditions, Gaza’s vibrant artistic community shines through, offering an intimate and powerful portrayal of the everyday life and enduring spirit of its people.

Palestine has submitted films to the Oscars since 2003 and won two nominations with Paradise now and Omarboth directed by Hany Abu-Assad.

Take My Breath (2023)

Directed by: Nada Mezni Hfaiedh – Tunisia

The groundbreaking dramatic stars of Nada Mezni Hfaiedh Amina Ben Ismail as Shams, a 23-year-old seamstress whose quiet life is turned upside down when her intersex identity and involvement in a steamy love triangle are exposed. As Shams becomes the target of a dangerous stalker, she is forced to flee to the capital Tunis for safety.

take my breath away had its world premiere at Warsaw Film Festival last year and was a box office hit at home, while the character of Shams is played by Amina, who recently appeared alongside Gael García Bernal and Renate Reinsve in Pierro Messina’s Berlin Film Festival ENTRY Another Ending.

Hayat (2023)

Directed by: Zeki Demirkubuz – Turkey

Perhaps the most artistic, layered and unconventional work on the current slate is Zeki Demirkubuz’s Hayat, a 193-minute drama with existentialist themes set in modern Turkey.

After Hicran’s fiancee suddenly leaves town, breaking off their arranged engagement without explanation, Riza becomes increasingly depressed and embarks on a journey to Istanbul to find her – a woman he barely knows but whose image haunts him .

Through Hicran’s interactions with the men in her life, the film provides a stark portrayal of the wounded male psyche, ranging from vindictive and self-righteous to petulant and self-destructive.

Despite men’s insecurities and tortured projections, Hicran remains dignified and impenetrable, surrendering regardless of fate.

Mariana Hristova is an independent film critic, cultural journalist and programmer. She contributes to national and international outlets and has curated programs for Filmoteca De Catalunya, Arxiu Xcèntric, goEast Wiesbaden, etc. Her professional interests include cinema from the European peripheries and archival and amateur films.