’Thank You For Banking With Us!’ scoops top prize at Critics Awards for Arab Films

Laila Abbas’s Thank you for lending a bank with us Scooped the best films at the 9th Critics Awards of Arab Cinema.

The Palestinian drama, which debuted at the BFI London Film Festival, also won the best director of debutant filmmaker Abbas. The story follows two sisters, played by Clara Cooley and Yasmin Al Masri, and competes against time to secure their father’s inheritance.

Also, two awards were Nabil Ayouch’s Moroccan film. Everyone loves Todabowed at the Cannes Premier section of last year’s festival. The film won the best script Ayouch wrote alongside Maryam Touzani and the best actress in Nisrin Erradi’s performance.

It is a woman-led story about a poet and singer raising her deaf son in a small village who dreams of being a Sheika (a traditional Moroccan performer) in the bright lights of Casablanca.

Best Actor Award was French Tunicia performer Adam Bessa in his role in his role on the Ghost Trail. There, he plays a man on the mission to track down the French Syrian regime leader, where he must stand up to his former torturer. The film received its world premiere last year in Cannes Critics’ Week.

Over 280 critics from 75 countries have voted for the award, hosted by the Cairo-based Arab Film Centre.