Copyright Variety
As a film reviewer and obsessive follower of the Academy’s international feature category, I’m willing to bet that several films from Middle Eastern countries will make the shortlist. And even posit that one will triumph on Oscar night. Even though only 10 Middle Eastern countries are fielding titles, the region is yielding its most competitive lineup in years. The submissions encompass work from a former nominee (Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania), a former short-listed helmer (Morocco’s Maryam Touzani), a winner of the prestigious Cannes Golden Camera (Iraq’s Hasan Hadi), as well as high-profile selections of the region from Sundance, Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Tribeca. The trend of Middle Eastern stories submitted by other countries in the Oscar race continues. Last year, Germany received a nomination for “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” from Iran-born Mohammad Rasoulof. This year, France, looking for its first international winner since “Indochine” in 1992, is championing “It Was Just an Accident,” from dissident Iranian helmer Jafar Panahi. It has a strong chance of going all the way: The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, where savvy distributor Neon bought it. Its early October release saw strong box office. Two other Iran-born directors represent countries outside of their homeland this year: Alireza Khatami with Canada’s entry, the Turkish-language psychological drama “The Things You Kill,” and Shahram Mokri, with the Tajikistan entry, the enigmatic “Black Rabbit, White Rabbit.” Given the surprising proliferation of Iranian directors in this year’s race, it’s ironic that Iran’s submission, “Cause of Death: Unknown,” a debut feature directed by Ali Zarnegar, lacks awards buzz pedigree. Meanwhile, another former international Oscar short-listed director, Sweden’s Tarik Saleh, represents his Scandinavian homeland again with “Eagles of the Republic,” the gripping final chapter of his Cairo trilogy. A Cohen Media Group 2026 release, it follows a charismatic Egyptian superstar, coerced by the government into playing President El-Sisi in a propaganda film, who finds himself embroiled in dangerous conspiracies. Even discounting any “alumni effect,” there’s no denying that Tunisia’s Ben Hania (an international feature nominee for “The Man Who Sold His Skin” in 2020 and a documentary nominee with “Four Daughters” in 2023), brings a strong contender with the hot-button docudrama “The Voice of Hind Rajab.” The film uses the real voice of a panic-stricken Palestinian child trapped in a vehicle under fire from Israeli tanks as she phones the Palestinian Red Crescent pleading to be rescued, but taps actors to play the increasingly hysterical workers who handle her call. It unspooled in Venice and Toronto festivals. After being shortlisted with “The Blue Caftan” in 2023, Morocco’s Touzani provides another formidable entry in “Calle Malaga.” The sweet dramedy nabbed the Audience Award of the Venice Film Festival’s Spotlight section and should pleasantly challenge society’s views of aging, agency and sexuality. Slotted for a 2026 rollout from Strand Releasing, it centers on María Ángeles (Spanish screen legend Carmen Maura), an 80-year-old resident of the titular Tangier street, whose bond with her colorful coastal hometown is rich and complex; she’s Spanish while also somehow being Moroccan. Another audience-pleasing, plausible contender is the Iraqi submission “The President’s Cake.” One of the hits of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, helmer Hadi’s poignant feature debut follows an impoverished girl living with her grandmother in the Mesopotamian marshes during the Saddam Hussein regime. When she is assigned to bake the dictator’s birthday cake for her school’s annual celebration, it proves to be a near-impossible burden for both girl and granny. At Cannes, the film claimed the juried best first feature award as well as the People’s Choice award of the Directors’ Fortnight. Sony Pictures Classics is distributing. Egypt, too, chose an accomplished and likeable debut feature about the difficult life of a young girl with Sarah Goher’s “Happy Birthday,” a title which could land the country on the shortlist for the first time. The film illuminates disparities of wealth and class in contemporary Cairo through the story of a resourceful 8-year-old maid whose devoted friendship with the daughter of the household she works for is discouraged by her employers. At its Tribeca premiere, it nabbed best international narrative feature, best screenplay and best director. At press time, the film still lacked an American distributor, but it shouldn’t be homeless for long. As a writer-producer previously known for Marvel’s “Moon Knight,” Goher should already have supporters in Hollywood. It’s difficult to predict how world politics will influence the international feature race, but they may have helped last year’s Palestinian entry, “From Ground Zero,” to a place on the shortlist. The continued groundswell of support for Palestine, plus the younger and more international cohort invited to join the Academy could also impact a pair of Palestinian period films from well-respected female writer-directors that share both cast members and themes. Annemarie Jacir’s sweeping epic “Palestine 36” is the Palestinian entry. It’s her fourth feature and her fourth to represent the country. Set in 1936, it delves into the territory’s developing unrest as rising numbers of Jewish immigrants flee European antisemitism and find new homes in the region while the Palestinian population unites in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year rule. Watermelon Films is releasing in the U.S. While Jacir’s film boasts a large cast of characters and a concentrated timeline, in contrast, Jordan’s entry, “All That’s Left of You,” from Palestinian-American actor-writer-director Cherien Dabis, looks at some similar issues, but within the more intimate context of a single family over three generations. Dabis plays a mother contextualizing the fate of her son through the tribulations of his grandfather. It’s also a Watermelon Films release; Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo have signed on as exec producers. Meanwhile, political trends are currently less favorable towards Israel’s cinema. This year, the country submitted a Palestinian story, albeit one written and directed by a Jewish Israeli, Shai Carmeli-Pollak, working with a Palestinian producer and a mixed crew. Distributed by Menemsha Films in the U.S., “The Sea” follows the perilous journey of a 12-year-old boy from a Palestinian village determined to visit the sea for the first time despite being denied entry at an Israeli checkpoint. Since 2013, Saudi Arabia has made eight international feature submissions, with two each from female helmers Haifaa al-Mansour and Shahad Ameen. Both Ameen’s current “Hijra” and her mermaid fable “Scales” contain strong feminist themes and striking visual elements. “Hijra’s” saga of a grandmother and granddaughter whose pilgrimage to Mecca turns into a road trip of another sort confirms Ameen as a talent to watch. “Hijra” premiered in Venice, as did the alluringly titled Lebanese submission “A Sad Beautiful World” from narrative feature debutant Cyril Aris. In a category that traditionally favors serious dramas, this rom-com unfolding against the backdrop of 30 years of Lebanese tragedies plays like a breath of fresh air and piques anticipation for Aris’ next feature.
