A huge lineup of Arab talent is representing the Middle East at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival

Right up there with the Cannes Film Festival in terms of importance, the 79th edition of the Venice International Film Festival is one of the most significant events of the year and the 2022 program is full of Arab talent.

As one of the “Big Five”, and the oldest international film festival now in its 79th edition, the 2022 Venice International Film Festival kicks off today and runs to September 10 with a program packed full of regional talent from the Middle East.

Held on the Lido di Venezia and organised by La Biennale di Venezia, the festival includes a line-up split into competitive sections as well as out-of-competition screenings, Orizzonti (for young talent), classic films, as well as parallel screenings during the week that run outside of the official competition.

With an international jury that includes US actress Julianne Moore, Iranian actress Leila Hatami, and Algerian actress Sofia Djama, prizes will be awarded on the final day of the festival.

In the headlining Venezia 79 competition, 23 films will be competing for glory at the festival, including the highly personal work “Les Miens” by French-Moroccan director Roschdy Zem, and “No Bears” by Iranian director Jafar Panahi which explores two parallel love stories.

In the Orizzonti section, highlights to watch for include the Qatari production “Autobiography” by director Makbul Mubarak, Houman Seyyedi’s “World War III”, Rachid Ham’s “For my Country”, as well as “My Girl Friend” by highly acclaimed Egyptian emerging filmmaker Kawthar Younis.

In Orrizonti Extra, there is even more Arab talent taking part at the Venice Film Festival. “Hanging Gardens” is by Iraqi director Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji, “Without Her” is by Arian Vazirdaftari, and the much anticipated “Nezouh” by Syrian director Soudade Kaadan is about femininity in Syria.

Stay tuned for more coverage of this absolutely stellar lineup offering the best of the current crop of gifted Middle Eastern filmmakers, and enjoy the show…