The Arab Cinema Center (ACC) held the 10th Critics Awards for Arab Films on May 16th at a special ceremony at Cannes’ Plage des Palmes — held on the sidelines of the Marché du Film of the 79th Cannes Film Festival (May 14th–17th) — in which it honored some of the Arab World’s greatest indie productions of the past year.
“As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Critics Awards for Arab Films, our mission has remained steadfast: to spotlight the finest Arab films and talents and help bring them the international recognition they deserve,” commented ACC Co-Founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab.
“This year’s winners were selected by an unprecedented jury of 307 film critics from around the world, reflecting the excellence of these films and the remarkable talents behind them whose artistry stands shoulder to shoulder with the highest international standards of filmmaking and creativity,” they added.
The 10th edition of the ceremony also honored prominent figures whose contributions have had a remarkable impact on the Arab film and entertainment industry. The Game Changer Award was presented to Vincenzo Bugno in recognition of his influential role in supporting Arab cinema and strengthening its international presence, while the Personality of the Year Award was granted to Hussein Fahmy in celebration of his outstanding artistic career and continued contributions to Arab cinema.
Selected by a record‑breaking jury of 307 critics from 75 countries, who viewed the films through ACC’s partner Festival Scope, the awards span 10 categories, honoring excellence across feature, documentary, and short films, as well as outstanding talents in acting, directing, cinematography, music composition, screenwriting, and editing.
The list of the winners is as follows:
Best Feature Film
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA | Arab and Tarzan Nasser | Palestine
Best Screenplay
Annemarie Jacir | PALESTINE 36
Best Director
Cherien Dabis | ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU
Best Actress
Deborah Christelle Naney | PROMISED SKY
Best Actor
Adham Shukr | THE SETTLEMENT
Best Music
Suad Bushnaq | YUNAN
Best Editing
Ameer Fakher Eldin | YUNAN
Best Cinematography
Hélène Louvart | PALESTINE 36
Best Documentary
THE LIONS BY THE RIVER TIGRIS | Zaradasht Ahmed | Iraq
Best Short Film
I’M GLAD YOU’RE DEAD NOW | Tawfeek Barhom | Palestine
About the Arab Cinema Center
Founded by MAD Solutions in 2015, the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is a non-profit platform promoting Arab cinema internationally. Through its presence at major festivals and markets, the ACC connects Arab filmmakers and producers with global industry players and audiences.
Website: acc.film
