From Left to Right: Adam Bessa, Maryam Touzani, Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji, and Clara Couturet - Dominique Charriau / Stephane Cardinale - Corbi, Andreas Rentz / Daniele Venturelli
The Critics Awards for Arab Films is an initiative created and overseen by the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) that will bring together film critics from across the world to select the best Arab films every year in the following categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Writer, Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Documentary. Judged by 193 critics from 72 countries, the winners will be announced at the Cannes Film Festival ceremony on May 16, 2023. Among the nominees, The Blue Caftan received the most nominations, totaling 7.
The nominees within their respective categories are listed below.
Best Film
The Blue Caftan (Morocco)
Dir. Maryam Touzani
Hanging Gardens (Iraq)
Dir. Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji
Alam (Palestine)
Dir. Firas Khoury
Best Actor
Adam Bessa, Harka (Tunisia)
Saleh Bakri, The Blue Caftan (Palestine)
Hussain Mohammad Jaleel, Hanging Gardens (Iraq)
Best Actress
Lubna Azabal, The Blue Caftan (Morocco)
Clara Couturet, Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous (Ethiopia)
Fatma Oussaifi, Ashkal (Tunisia)
Best Director
Youssef Chebbi, Ashka (Tunisia)
Maryam Touzani, The Blue Caftan (Moracco)
Erige Sehiri, Under The Fig Trees (Tunisia)
Best Screenplay
Erige Sehiri, Under The Fig Trees (Tunisia)
Maryam Touzani-Nabil Ayouch, The Blue Caftan (Morocco)
Soudade Kaadan, Nezouah (Syria)
Best Cinematography
Frida Marzouk, Under The Fig Trees (Tunisia)
Pierre Aïm, Queens (France)
Virginie Surdej, The Blue Caftan (Poland)
Best Editing
Julie Léna, Queens (France)
Valentin Féron, Ashkal (France)
Sophie Corra, Thomas Niles, Harka (United States / Canada)
Best Music
Eli Keszler, Harka (United States)
Amin Bouhafa, Under The Fig Trees, (Tunisia)
Kristian Eidnes Andersen, The Blue Caftan (Denmark)
Best Documentary
Foragers, Jumana Manna (Palestine)
Sirens, Rita Baghdad (Lebanon)
My Lost Country, Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez (Iraq)