• The documentary“Dayel ‘Anna ‘Ard” won the Audience Award at the Cairo International Film Festival
• The film highlights the determination of a Gaza-based troupe to provide entertainment for children despite displacement and destruction

The documentary “Dayel ‘Anna ‘Ard”, directed by Egypt’s Mai Saad and Palestine’s Ahmed Aldenf, received the Audience Award at the 46th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, which concluded Friday in the Egyptian capital

The film follows the journey of the “Free Gaza Circus”, which continued performing in streets and camps after being displaced from the northern to the southern part of the Gaza Strip, determined to bring moments of joy to children amid ongoing devastation

In the international competition, the British film “The Dragonfly”, directed by Paul Andrew Williams, won the Golden Pyramid, while Palestinian twins Arab and Tarzan Nasser took the Silver Pyramid for their film “Once Upon a Time in Gaza”. The Bronze Pyramid went to the Turkish film “While We Breathe”, directed by Simos Alton

Bangladesh’s “City of Sands” won Best Cinematography, while the Turkish film “Things That Kill” earned the Best Screenplay award

Palestinian actor Majd Eid won Best Actor for his performance in “Once Upon a Time in Gaza”, while Best Actress was shared by Andrea Riseborough and Brenda Blethyn for “The Dragonfly”

In the short film category, Morocco’s Abdullah Tayeh took the top prize for “Cairo Streets”, the Japanese film “Extremely Erect Neck” won the Jury Prize, and Lebanon’s “Teta w Teta” was named Best Arab Short Film

The Best Documentary award went to the Lebanese film “Thuraya Hubbi”, directed by Nikola Khoury

In the Arab Feature Film competition, the Palestinian film “Once Upon a Time in Gaza” by Arab and Tarzan Nasser won the top prize, with a special mention for the Iraqi film “Fulana” directed by Zahra Ghandoor

The Palestinian film “Habibi Hussein”, directed by Alex Bakri, won the Critics’ Week prize, while the German film “In My Family’s House” received the Jury Prize, and the Chinese film “Plant World” was specially noted

The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) award went to the Turkish film “Things That Kill”, directed by Ali Reza Khatami

In the Arab Cinema Horizons competition, the Lebanese film “Quiet Dog”, directed by Sarah Francis, won the top prize, the Saudi film “Against Cinema” received a Jury Prize, and Egyptian screenwriter Yasser Shafie earned Best Screenplay for “Complaint No. 713317”