The film “The Bride’s Pool”, by the Lebanese director Bassem Breish, won the Best Feature Film Award at the third Jerusalem Arab Film Festival, which concluded today, Sunday, at the Palestinian National Theatre, Al-Hakawati.
In a recorded speech broadcast after announcing the result, Breish said: “This award comes from a place I grew up loving, loving it every moment and following it every moment. This award is very important to us and to everyone who worked on this film.”
The jury awarded its special award to the Egyptian film “19 B”, directed by Ahmed Abdullah Al-Sayed, starring Sayed Ragab, Ahmed Khaled Saleh, Nahed Al-Sibai and Fadwa Abed.
In the feature documentary competition, the main award bearing the name of the late reporter Sherine Abu Aqleh went to the Sudanese film “Heroic Bodies”, directed by Sarah Suleiman.
The jury awarded its special prize to the movie “Little Palestine” directed by Abdullah Al-Khatib, and the committee also noted the Iraqi film “Take Me to the Cinema”, directed by Al-Baqer Jaafar.
In the short narrative film competition, the prize went to the film “Palestine 87”, directed by Bilal Al-Khatib. While the jury award went to the Egyptian film “He’s Dead Now”, directed by Tarek El-Sherbiny.
The competition jury praised the Iraqi film “Transit”, directed by Baqer Al-Rubaie.
The announcement of the awards was followed by the screening of the film “Under the Tree”, directed by Areej Al-Sehiri, who was nominated by Tunisia to compete for the Oscar for Best International Film last year.
