‘Lost Land’
Director: Akio Fujimoto
Starring: Shomira Rias Uddin, Muhammad Shofik Rias Uddin
Billed as the “first-ever Rohingya-language feature … a haunting, intimate portrait of two siblings fleeing persecution in Myanmar,” the Japanese director’s third feature film follows nine-year-old Somira and four-year-old Shafi as they attempt to reach Malaysia, where their uncle lives. Won the Special Jury Prize at last year’s Venice International Film Festival. Fujimoto spent 12 years working in Myanmar, where any mention of the Rohingya is frowned on. “That silence became a burden to me and led me to this film,” he wrote in his director’s statement for Venice.
‘Sirat’
Director: Oliver Laxe
Starring: Sergi Lopez, Bruno Nunez Arjona, Richard Bellamy
French director Laxe’s acclaimed drama won the Jury Prize at Cannes last year, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Oscars, eventually losing out to Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value.” Lars travels to a party in the Moroccan desert with his son Esteban, in search of his missing daughter, Mar, which leads to an explosive, dangerous road trip across the sands in the company of a group of ravers.
‘The President’s Cake’
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
The Iraqi director’s Nineties-set drama won the Audience Award at the Cannes Film Festival’s Director’s Fortnight section in 2025. It centers around nine-year-old Lamia, who lives with her grandmother Bibi in the Mesopotamian Marshes. Lamia is chosen by her school to bake a cake to celebrate the birthday of then-President Saddam Hussein. They don’t have money for the ingredients, but Lamia’s teacher threatens the family with punishment if she doesn’t come through. So Lamia and Bibi head to the city in search of flour, eggs, sugar and baking powder. The trip does not go well.
‘Cairo, Standstill’
Director: Amr Abed
Starring: Emad Esmail, Doaa Hamza
The Egyptian director’s film is one of five shorts being screened as a group at the festival. It tells the story of a young couple in Cairo who are scheduled to leave Egypt in just a few days. Having finally received an offer for their car — which is double-parked on a busy street — the husband, Ali, gets cold feet, and must make a difficult choice: Leave his homeland or leave his wife.
