Palestinian author Adania Shibli longlisted for International Booker Prize 2021

The book was translated to English by Elisabeth Jaquette. (Supplied)
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Updated 30 March 2021
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Palestinian author Adania Shibli longlisted for International Booker Prize 2021

DUBAI: Judges of the 2021 International Booker Prize revealed on Tuesday the 13 novels longlisted for the prestigious award, and Palestinian author Adania Shibli has secured a spot on the list for her book “Minor Detail.” 

Told in two equal parts, both the same length but with different main characters who live in different eras, the award-winning writer’s book crafts a story that connects strangers to one another through the occupation that has shaped Palestinians’ lives. 

The novel begins in 1949, one year after the Nakba in which 700,000 Palestinians were displaced. A military operation is taking place in the Negev desert, south of Gaza along the Egyptian border, to secure the land and expel the Arabs.

Read Arab News’ full review on Palestinian author Adania Shibli’s “Minor Detail” here.  

The book was translated to English by Elisabeth Jaquette. 

The International Booker Prize is awarded every year for a single book that is translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland. 

According to a released statement, “it aims to encourage more publishing and reading of quality works of imagination from all over the world, and to give greater recognition to the role of translators.”

The contribution of both author and translator is given equal recognition, with the prize of around $68,800 split evenly between them. Each shortlisted author and translator also receives around $1,300 bringing the total value of the prize to around $70,100.

The winner will be announced on June 2. 


Repossi taps May Calamawy for latest campaign

Updated 08 February 2026
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Repossi taps May Calamawy for latest campaign

DUBAI: Italian jewelry label Repossi has tapped Egyptian-Palestinian Hollywood star May Calamawy to star in its Ramadan 2026 campaign.

The campaign, which was shot in Sharjah in the UAE, features Calamawy showing off pieces by the Paris-headquartered label that is known for taking inspiration from architecture and modern art.

Shot inside Zaha Hadid Architects’ BEEAH Headquarters in Sharjah, Calamawy can be seen wearing signature pieces from the Blast and Serti Sur Vide collection, as well as other classic collections by the brand.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by May Calamawy (@calamawy)

“Celebrating Repossi Savoir-Faire, Heritage and Architectural Poetry (sic),” the actress captioned the campaign video, which she shared with her 354,000 followers on Instagram.

Calamawy is known for her roles in the US Netflix series “Ramy” and “Moon Knight” (2022), where she plays dual characters Layla El-Faouly and the Scarlet Scarab.

She made headlines in late 2024 when almost all her scenes were cut from Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” with fans taking to social media to complain.

Her casting in the film was first announced in May 2023.

At the time, Deadline reported that Scott had cast Calamawy after a lengthy search, writing: “While many of the leading roles were straight offers, Scott wanted to do a similar search he did for the (Paul) Mescal part for the role that Calamawy ultimately landed.”

In January, the star took to Instagram to promote her latest project, which hits theaters in April.

“The Mummy,” a new feature from award-winning Irish writer and director Lee Cronin, will be released on April 17 and features Calamawy alongside Mexican actress Veronica Falcon, Jack Reynor, and Laia Costa. 

The film is produced by Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and New Line Cinema.

“The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare,” the film’s official logline reads.

Calamawy is also known for her activism and regularly takes to social media to support charity initiatives raising money and awareness for Gaza.

In December, she promoted the song “Lullaby,” which the Together for Palestine charity is trying to propel to the Christmas No. 1 spot in the UK chart to raise money for the people of Palestine.