Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The management of the Euro-Mediterranean Film Festival in Brussels announced the awards for the 25th edition of the festival, which concluded Friday evening. The Egyptian film "Cologne (My Father's Perfume)," the debut feature film by director Mohamed Siam, won the Jury Prize. It was screened at the Warsaw and El Gouna film festivals this year and explores the psychological drama between father Omar and his son Farouk, focusing on their complex relationship.

The "Revolution" competition award went to "DJ Ahmed," the first feature film by Macedonian director Gjorge M. Onkovski. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Cinema Audience Award – Drama section, in addition to a Special Jury Prize for Creative Vision.

The Audience Award went to the film "My Father and Gaddafi" by director Jehan El Kikhia.

"My Father and Gaddafi," which began its international journey at the Venice Film Festival and participated in the Doha Film Festival held from November 20 to 28, tells the story of Mansour Rashid El Kikhia, a prominent Libyan politician and former foreign minister, and one of the most important figures in the peaceful opposition to Muammar Gaddafi's regime. He was kidnapped under mysterious circumstances when his daughter, Jehan El Kikhia, was only six years old.

In previous statements, the Libyan director, Jehan El Kikhia, said that her decision to document her father's life with her film "My Father and Gaddafi" came at a critical moment when she felt a sense of fear for Libyan memory. She emphasized that the conflicts Libya experienced after the fall of Gaddafi's regime made her feel that her father's memory and legacy were once again threatened with being lost.

According to the festival's official website, the Grand Prize was awarded to the Egyptian film "My Father's Perfume" by director Mohamed Siam. The jury praised the film as "a powerful work where personal touches resonate universally." It also won the Cineuropa Award. The official competition jury consisted of Elie Dagher, Mariam Akhdiou, Pierre Dumoulin, and Samira Mezghibati.

The Special Jury Prize was awarded to Pietro Marcello's "Doss," a "remarkably relevant historical film." The "Revolution" Award, given by a jury of young talents, went to "DJ Ahmed" by Georgi M. Onkovsky.

The feature-length documentary "Life After Siham," the second feature-length documentary by Namir Abdel Massih, also won an award. Running for 76 minutes, it explores themes of identity, belonging, and memory through a deeply human and emotionally resonant treatment. The film begins with Namir's loss of his mother, Siham. On the day of her death, Namir asks his friend, Nicolas Duchêne (the film's cinematographer), to come and film her funeral. The son wants to be part of her farewell this time. He doesn't want to keep his distance from her, as he always did when filming her while she was alive. Her death leaves a palpable void in the place and in the hearts of those close to her, making the documentary seem incomplete. To compensate for this, Nimir, driven by a promise he made to her, decides to make a documentary—not a fiction film, as she had wished in a moment of serenity and joy—about her and her journey with his father from Egypt to France. He suggests to his colleague, screenwriter Sonia Moyer (they are co-writing the script), that they juxtapose the available footage of her life story with scenes from classic Egyptian films, mostly by Youssef Chahine, that reflect aspects of what she experienced.

The film was screened a few days ago at the Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco. It also achieved sold-out screenings at the 46th Cairo International Film Festival, as part of its special screenings, and its premiere at the 18th Panorama of European Film, where the Zawya Cinema on Emad El Din Street was also sold out.

Finally, "The Promise of Heaven," directed by Iraj Seheri, won the Critics' Award, in addition to the "Bombs" Award, which highlights the film's power and its vision of the role of women in migration within the African continent. The festival organizers stated, "The 25th edition of CinemaMed, held from November 27 to December 5, reaffirmed the event's importance within Brussels' cultural and cinematic landscape. While the 2024 edition set attendance records, this year's participation remained at the same level. Many screenings sold out throughout the week, a clear indication of the audience's enthusiasm. Beyond the large numbers, a palpable sense of excitement and belonging permeated the theaters, despite the diverse audience. The festival has proven its unique ability to foster exchange and dialogue through cinema, bringing filmmakers and audiences closer together. The festival has successfully reached highly diverse audiences, sometimes from contrasting backgrounds," notes Aurélie Lussot, CinemaMed's Programming Director. The festival awards were as follows: Grand Prize: "The Scent of My Father" by Mohamed Siam; Special Jury Prize: "Doss" by Pietro Marcello; Revolution Prize: "DJ Ahmed" by Georgi M. Onkovske; Young Jury Prize: "Agon" by Julio Bertelli
Young Jury Special
Bouchra
by Aurienne Barki and Maryam Bennani
Citizen's Perspective Award for Moroccan Film
Behind the Palm Trees
by Maryam Benm'Barek
Cineuropa Award
The Scent of My Father
by Mohamed Siam
Les Grenades Award
The Promised Paradise
by Irij Sehiri, a French-Tunisian director
Les Grenades
Jury Special
The Bear's Cave
by Stergios Dinopoulos and Christiana P. Papadakis
Critics' Award
awarded by the Federation of Film Critics and the Belgian Federation of Film Journalists
The Promised Paradise
by director Irij Sehiri
European Olive Branch Award for Film
Life After Siham
by director Namir Abdel Massih
Audience Award
My Father and Gaddafi
by director Jihane El Kikhia