‘Once Upon A Time In Gaza’ leads Palestinian sweep of 10th Critics Awards for Arab Films

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Once Upon A Time In Gaza

Source: Cannes International Film Festival

‘Once Upon A Time In Gaza’

Palestinian features dominated the 10^th Critics Awards for Arab Films, with Tarzan and Arab Nasser’s comedy drama Once Upon A Time In Gaza winning best feature film.

The awards, which will honour its winners in Cannes today (May 16), also gave two prizes to Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36 and best director to Palestine US filmmaker Cherien Dabis for All That’s Left Of You.

The annual awards, organised by the Arab Cinema Center (ACC), was voted upon by 307 Arab and international film critics.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Once Upon A Time In Gaza premiered at Cannes in Un Certain Regard last year before going on a long festival run. Set in 2007, the story follows a student and a restaurant owner who begin to sell drugs while delivering sandwiches. Things go wrong when they cross paths with a corrupt police officer.

It marks the second consecutive Palestinian film to top the top prize after Leila Abbas’s Thank You For Banking With Us picked up best film last year.

Palestine 36 went into the awards with six nominations and saw Palestinian filmmaker Jacir win best screenplay and Hélène Louvart win best cinematography. The period epic, which revolves around the uprising of Palestinian Arabs during British rule in 1936, premiered at Tokyo.

Best director was awarded to Palestine US filmmaker Cherien Dabis for All That’s Left Of You, The film, which premiered at Sundance and was Jordan’s entry to the Oscars, follows a displaced Palestinian family over several decades.

A further two-time winner was Yunan by Syrian filmmaker Ameer Fakher Eldin, which scooped best music and best editing. The film debuted in Competition at the Berlinale in 2025.

Launched on the margins of the 70th Cannes Film Festival in 2017, the awards honour the best Arab productions of the previous year. This year’s winners will be celebrated at a ceremony today (May 16) at the Plage des Palmes.

“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,” said ACC co-founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab.

The 10th edition of the ceremony also honoured prominent figures whose contributions have had an 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. Bugno stepped down as head of the Berlinale’s World Cinema Fund last July after more than 20 years in the role.

Personality of the Year Award was granted to Hussein Fahmy, the veteran Egyptian actor and Cairo International Film Festival president, in celebration of his artistic career and continued contributions to Arab cinema.