Arab Films Are Reaching The Oscars, But The Industry Is Still Lagging

This week, the Academy Awards nominations have seen four Arab films make it to the shortlist – an remarkable achievement for Arab cinema and its filmmakers. Coming from different countries across the region, from the Levant to Al Maghreb, these films collectively underline the growing non-centrality of the Arab film industry today. They reflect a landscape no longer dominated by a single hub or narrative, but one rich with diverse stories, genres, and film schools.

The shortlisted films are All That’s Left of You from Jordan, directed by Cherien Dabis; Palestine 36 from Palestine, directed by Annemarie Jacir; The Voice of Hind Rajab from Tunisia, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania; and The President’s Cake from Iraq, directed by Hasan Hadi. All four were nominated in the Best International Feature Film category, marking a historic first for the region and signaling a long-overdue moment of visibility on one of cinema’s most prominent global stages.

This recognition comes at a time when international interest in Arab arts – whether in film, music, or culture more broadly – has been steadily growing. For decades, the Arab region has been largely viewed through a narrow lens, often reduced to a zone of constant conflict and political turmoil. This perspective has rarely allowed space to see beyond headlines and geopolitics, let alone engage with the region’s cultural depth and artistic complexity. That narrative, however, appears to be shifting, and recent developments offer tangible proof of this change – evidence that goes beyond symbolic gestures.

Beyond reductive narratives, Arab filmmakers have struggled to gain international recognition due to structural challenges such as limited funding, weak distribution networks, lack of publicity, compounded by the absence of an established film industry that can operate sustainably over the long term, and restrictive production environments have all played a significant role.

In many countries, political constraints on freedom of speech and expression have further complicated the ability of artists to tell stories freely and openly. Yet, much like their counterparts in Iran, Arab filmmakers have continuously found ways to navigate these limitations – working subtly, innovatively, and often courageously.

The growing presence of Arab films on global platforms today suggests that this long period of neglect may finally be slowing down. This shift comes down to several factors: the Academy’s board has become far more diverse; streaming platforms have expanded the reach of Arab films; Arab filmmakers have begun building sustained global networks; and, crucially, major international festivals – Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin, and Locarno – have increasingly become key benchmarks. When a film breaks through at one of these festivals and sparks sustained discourse, its chances of reaching the Academy’s shortlist rise significantly.

To maintain this momentum – where Arab filmmakers can tell their own stories with genuine, tangible originality, free from orientalist lenses and stereotypes – we need a sustainable, established film industry, backed by Arab states themselves.

History offers a clear precedent: Egyptian cinema’s remarkable boom in the 1950s and 1960s was driven largely by consistent state support and a long-term vision that recognized cinema’s cultural value. That model needs to return. Today, many globally successful Arab films are either made by diaspora filmmakers or rely heavily on European co-production. While this has enabled visibility, it also reflects a structural gap that must be addressed.

The question, then, is one of power. As long as production, financing, and circulation remain externally anchored, Arab cinema’s global presence will continue to be negotiated, not owned. Building sovereign film industries is a cultural necessity, one that determines who frames Arab realities, who profits from them, and who controls their afterlife on the global stage.