Original article at Mille
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From Algeria to Lebanon, these are the films to watch

Despite the pandemic putting all events at a standstill, Cannes Film Festival is still moving forward with their 73rd edition, and Egyptian director Sameh Alaa is up for the Short Film Palme D’or. 

Due to take place next May, Alaa’s film, ‘I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face’, is one of 56 movies that will be premiering during Cannes. 

“Happy to announce that our new short film ‘I Am Afraid to Forget Your Face’ will have its world premiere at the 73rd Festival de Cannes, as part of the Short Films Competition,” Alaa announced in an Instagram post. 

Little has been said about the film’s plot just yet, although it’s said to follow the journey of a man seeking revenge and will star newcomers Seif Eldin Hemida and Nourhan Ali Abdezez.

Selected out of 3,810 films from 132 countries, the short film will be joined by three more from the region. ‘Broken Keys’ by Lebanese director Jimmy Keyrouz, which tells the story of a pianist whose village is taken over by war, forcing him to leave to Europe. Egyptian director Ayten Amin’s film ‘Souad’ (which is centred around a young girl’s journey after her sister commits suicide) will also be screened. ‘ADN’ which is directed by Vietnamese-French Algerian actor and director Maiwenn Besco—whose mother is Algerian filmmaker Catherine Belkhodja—, will be premiered at the festival. The film explores Besco’s French-Algerian identity. 

And lastly Lebanese director Danielle Arbid’s ‘Passion Simple’, will also be screened. The drama—which tells the tale of a mother who finds herself in a toxic relationship with a Russian diplomat—is based on a 1992 novel of the same name by Anne Ernaux.