Menna Shalabi Wins Best Actress at Dubai International Film Festival

It's shaping up to be an amazing year for Menna Shalabi, as the acclaimed actress received the award for Best Actress in a Long Feature Film at the illustrious Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

Arguably one of the biggest film festivals in the region, DIFF returned for its twelfth edition running from December 6^th to the 16^th. This year Egypt was well represented as five Egyptians films competed for a DIFF Muhr Award including; Before the Summer Crowds (Abl Zahmet El Saif), Nawara, The Curve (Al Munataf), The Wheel (El Aglaa) and We Have Never Been Kids (Abadan Lam Nakon Atfalan) which took home two awards for Best Director and Best Non-feature Film.

Taking home the highly sought after award for Best Actress was Menna Shalabi for her role in Nawara directed by visionary Hala Khalil. The fascinating film explores the story of a young housemaid named Nawara on the eve of the 2011 uprising. With the situation reaching dangerous levels, the rich landlord and his family decide to flee Egypt leaving the home under Nawara's watch. Having no one to account to, Nawara decides to invite her fiancé, and together they experience the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Delivering a masterful performance Shalabi's award was well earned, as the film highlights the wide gap that exists between Egypt’s rich and poor.

Hopefully this award will translate to interest from other film festivals, who want to showcase that Egyptian cinema can still produce high caliber films that can compete internationally.