Day: April 25, 2026

SAUDI co-production Hijra wins top prize at 10th Aswan International Women Film Festival

The 10th edition of the Aswan International Women Film Festival announced the winning films on 24 April, with the Saudi-led co-production Hijra taking the Best Film award, leading a diverse list of winners from across the globe.

Directed by Shahad Ameen, Hijra also earned Best Actor for Nawaf Al-Dhafiri.

Set against the vast desert landscape, Hijra follows a grandmother who embarks on a journey north in search of her missing teenage granddaughter, after the young girl disappears during a trip toward Mecca.

Blending elements of a road movie with a character-driven drama, Hijra explores themes of family, loss, and resilience, while offering a nuanced portrait of women’s lives across different generations in Saudi society.

The Jury Prize went to the Dutch film Treat Her Like a Lady written and directed by Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito, while The Condor Daughter (Bolivia/Peru/Uruguay) written and directed by Alvaro Olmos Torrico  won Best Director.

Spain featured among the winners, with The Portuguese House (Una quinta portuguesa) by Avelina Prat receiving the Best Screenplay award.

In the short film competition, the French film We Had a Good Time won Best Short Film, while Randa Maroufi’s Al-Mina (Morocco/Italy/France/Qatar) also received the short film top award. Prior to its AIWFF success, Al-Mina scored Leitz Cine Discovery Prize at Cannes Film Festival.

Italian film The Kinepali Model took the Jury Prize, and Tunisian film Dunia scored the European Union Award.

Across parallel sections, An Unfinished Journey won Best Collective Film in the workshops competition, while A Lullaby After Sleep by Abdel Rahman Barakat took Best Film in the Films with Impact category. In the South Films competition, Distances by Liza Kamal secured first place.

Held from 20 to 25 in Aswan, the festival showcased 73 films from 34 countries, reaffirming its position as a key platform for cinema centered on women’s stories and perspectives.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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MOROCCAN Billionaire Marc Lasry Among Forbes 250 Greatest Self-Made Americans

Forbes also ranks Lasry among the world’s billionaires, placing him at 1,913.

Moroccan-American billionaire Marc Lasry is among the Forbes 250 Greatest Self-Made Americans, another list featuring businessmen and celebrities who made a name for themselves in their respective fields.

Forbes released the list earlier this month, distinguishing the US, where the “American dream” could reportedly be achieved by any ordinary child, compared to Europe, “where one’s prospects were often determined at birth.”

The report then cites what it describes as heroes, including Alexander Hamilton, the “orphaned immigrant who crafted America’s first financial system.”

Oprah Winfrey tops the list of the Forbes selectees, and is followed by Harold Hamm, David Steward, Thomas Peterffy, alongside LeBron James, and Jan Koum.

Among the celebrities, Morocco’s Lasry found his name alongside other celebrities like Dr Dre, Eminem and the iconic Cher, as well as other prominent businessmen and women.

Forbes identified Lasry as number 154 in its ranking, describing him as a child who lived in a tiny apartment before founding Avenue Capital.

Lasry is also on Forbes’ billionaires list, where he is ranked  1913 with a real-time net worth of $2.2 billion as of April 22.

A brief biography of him on Forbes says he and his sister Sonia founded Avenue Capital Group in 1995, with $7 million in funding from friends and family.

He moved to the US at the age of 7 with his family from Morocco, “sharing a bedroom with his 2 siblingings for a  decade.”

Lasry is also known as a major supporter of the Democratic Party, raising funds for former President Obama as well as candidate Hilary Clinton.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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MOROCCO