Award / Jury

We've already spoken about the pernicious effects of silence, and how this topic, so relevant in the current agonizing climate, has formed a thread connecting so many of the films seen here at the Arab Film Festival. We've chosen to give the best film prize to a feature that underlines the moral duty to speak out, no matter the personal consequences, because the truth really does liberate. In addition, the film we're awarding deftly weaves together multiple themes with impressive visual flair and a strong central performance. The best film prize at Zurich's 2025 Arab Film Festival goes to Aïcha, directed by Mehdi M. Barsaoui.

For her ability to reconstruct buried memories using narrative and formal devices as ingenious as they are sensitive.

For its ability to turn an intimate story into one that encompasses a whole section of Moroccan society and, by extension, addresses the truths hidden by repressive systems throughout the four corners of the world.

For making us cry but also laugh, for this hymn to resilience and life filmed in the most beautiful of ways, the jury awards the prize for best direction to Asmae El Moudir for her film The Mother of All Lies.

The documentary "My Father, Nour and I" by Wiam Al-Zabari achieved the highest score in the audience vote – 9.65/10 – and thus won the audience award. Hot on its heels were "Samar... Before the Final Picture" (Grade 9.6/10) and "Happy Holidays" (9.34/10).