DUBAI: Two features from the Middle East have been shortlisted for the Academy Awards in the documentary and international feature categories.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced shortlists in 10 categories, including best original song, documentary feature, international feature, original score, and crafts such as hair and make-up, visual effects and sound.
Tunisian film “Four Daughters” was shortlisted in the documentary and international feature categories, prompting director Kaouther Ben Hania to take to Instagram with a celebratory message.
“Tunisia has been shortlisted in not just one, but TWO categories for the OSCARS (sic),” she posted.
Moroccan film “The Mother of All Lies” was shortlisted in the best international feature film category.
The production between Morocco, Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia explores director Asmae El-Moudir’s personal journey, unraveling the mysteries of her family’s history against the backdrop of the 1981 bread riots in Casablanca.
After winning the L’Oeil d’or award for best documentary following its premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Ben Hania spoke to Arab News about the challenges of filming the movie.
“It’s a movie about transmission between generations, transmission of trauma also. It’s a movie about Tunisia. All those themes were very important to me.”
The film tells the true story of Olfa Hamrouni, a heart-broken Tunisian mother of four daughters. The two eldest, aged 15 and 16, disappear in 2015 after being radicalized by extremists.
“The shooting was very intense because it’s a real story. It’s not an easy life. So, it was very intense, but also it was funny, because they are really funny.
“Their way to cope with this tragedy is to laugh about it, which was really amazing, so we were laughing and crying,” she added.
Meanwhile, El-Moudir told Arab News that creating her film taught her valuable lessons about taking one’s time to perfect a project.
“There is no rush to make films, especially when we are talking about real facts,” she said. “We should wait for the project. I made this film in 10 years. I was super tired and exhausted, but I don’t regret anything. If I had made this film five years ago, maybe nobody would have watched it. It needed maturity and took time to talk about how we can make a national story an intimate one,” she said.
Fifteen films from each category will advance to the next round of voting for the 96th Academy Awards, with the final nominations to be announced on Jan. 23. The Oscars will be held on March 10, 2024.
