The film is also competing at the International Competition of Cairo International Film Festival.
During a ceremony held at the 43rd Cairo Film Festival, Slovak filmmaker Peter Kerekes’ 107 Mothers won the Best Film award at the Arab Critics’ Award for European Films.
Marking the feature debut for Peter Kerekes, 107 Mothers is based on the true stories of 107 mothers in Odessa prison in Ukraine.
Currently competing at the International Competition of Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), 107 Mothers previously won Best Screenplay at Orizzonti competition of the Venice International Film Festival, where it landed its world premiere, and Best Director at Chicago International Film Festival.
Ola Al-Sheikh, Manager of The Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films, said: “I wanted to attend the Cairo International Film Festival this year, but due to some special circumstances, unfortunately I couldn’t. This year’s Jury witnessed 24 European films that left us in total confusion because of their good quality and the closeness in the numbers of the votes. In the end, the award went to the remarkable film 107 Mothers. I send my congratulations to the film’s creators, and my thanks to my fellow jury members for the time and effort we are exerting together for the sake of these events.”
The Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films is a spin-off from the ACC’s now well-established Critics’ Awards to boost film diversity in the region and raise the interest of sales and industry for outstanding European films. This initiative also aims to cast light on the distinguished film critics from 15 Arab-speaking countries and their important role in opening up new perspectives and bridging cultural idiosyncrasies.
This year’s jury of the Arab Critics’ Awards for European Films brings together 71 film critics from 15 Arab nations.
