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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