Amira (film)

Amira
Film poster
Directed byMohamed Diab
Written byMohamed Diab
Khaled Diab
Sherine Diab
Produced byHany Abu-Assad
Amira Diab
Sarah Goher
Mohamed Hefzy
Eric Lagesse
Moez Masoud
Rula Nasser
Daniel Ziskind
StarringTara Abboud
Saba Mubarak
Ali Suliman
CinematographyAhmed Gabr
Edited byAhmed Hafez
Music byKhaled Dagher
Production
companies
Arab Media Network
Film-Clinic
Lagoonie Film Production
MAD Solutions
The Imaginarium
Distributed byMAD Solutions [1]
Release date
  • 3 September 2021 (2021-09-03) (Venice)
Running time
96 minutes
CountriesEgypt
Jordan
UAE
LanguageArabic

Amira (Arabic: أميرة, romanized: ʾAmīra) is a 2021 Arabic drama film directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Diab.[2][3] The film is produced by Mohamed Hefzy for Film Clinic, Mona Abdelwahab for Agora Audiovisuals, Moez Masoud for Acamedia Pictures in co-production with Youssef El Taher for Taher Media Production and Rula Nasser for The Imaginarium Films.[4] The film stars Tara Abboud in the title role and Saba Mubarak and Ali Suliman in supporting roles. The film revolves around Amira, a 17-year-old Palestinian, who is told that she was conceived with the smuggled sperm of her imprisoned father, Nawar.[5][6]

This is the first film by an Egyptian director set in Palestine. The film had its world premiere at Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2021, and competed within the Orizzonti competition.[5] At the festival, the film won two awards: the Lanterna Magica Award and the Interfilm Award.[7] In August, the film was selected to compete at the Feature Narrative Competition in the fifth edition of Egypt's El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), which marked its first Arab world premiere.[8]

It was selected as the Jordanian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards,[9][10] but it was withdrawn by the Royal Film Commission due to controversy surrounding the film's subject matter. The film, which centers on a Palestinian girl who learns her real father was an Israeli prison guard rather than a Palestinian prisoner, was criticised by prisoners' rights organisations and withdrawn "out of respect to the feelings of the prisoners and their families."[11]

  1. ^ Solutions, M. A. D. "Amira - MAD Distribution Films". mad-distribution.film. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  2. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (2021-09-05). "Egypt's Film Clinic, at Venice With 'Amira,' Gets Financing Boost, Announces Projects (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  3. ^ "Biennale Cinema 2021: Amira". La Biennale di Venezia. 2021-07-08. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  4. ^ Ide, Wendy (2021-09-05). "'Amira': Venice Review". Screen. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  5. ^ a b "Egypt's 'Amira' lands its world premiere at Venice International Film Festival on September 4". EgyptToday. 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  6. ^ "Mohamed Diab on Hollywood, Marvel and his latest film 'Amira' at Venice Film Festival". The National. 7 September 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  7. ^ "Egypt's 'Amira' receives two prestigious awards at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival". EgyptToday. 2021-09-12. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  8. ^ "Amira: The Palestinian Story Told by an Egyptian Director Coming to Gouna Film Festival". Egyptian Streets. 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  9. ^ "Oscars International Race 2021: Complete List of Entries". The Wrap. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Egyptian director Mohamed Diab's Amira to represent Jordan at the Oscars". Ahram Online. 11 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  11. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (2021-12-09). "Jordan Withdraws Oscar Hopeful 'Amira' Following Backlash". Deadline. Retrieved 2021-12-20.