The Septimius Awards, powered by Cyrus, focus on discovering and supporting new independent talent and visionary films.
Amjad Al-Rasheed’s critically acclaimed Jordanian film Inshallah a Boy and Egyptian director Omar Hilal’s debut feature Voy! Voy! Voy! have both earned awards at the Septimius Awards 2024.
Inshallah a Boy took home the Best Screenplay award, while Voy! Voy! Voy! received the Best Cinematography award.
Powered by Cyrus, the Septimius Awards aim to discover and support new independent talent and visionary films. The event spans various genres, including drama, documentary, animation, television series, and scripts, highlighting all aspects of filmmaking and storytelling.
Inshallah a Boy, co-written by Al-Rasheed, Delphine Agut, and Rula Nasser, features performances by Mouna Hawa, Haitham Omari, Salwa Nakkara, Yumna Marwan, Mohammad Al-Jizawi, Islam Al-Awadi and Celina Rabab’a.
The narrates the story of Nawal, a recently widowed woman navigating societal challenges to save her daughter and home after her husband’s death in a society where having a son holds significant weight.
In terms of production companies, Inshallah a Boy was produced by Imaginarium Films and co-produced by Georges Films and Bayt Al-Shawareb. For distribution within the Arab world, MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production have taken the helm, while Pyramide International is managing international sales and distribution in France.
Voy! Voy! Voy! has been recognised as the Best Egyptian Film of 2023 by the Egyptian Film Critics Association (EFCA).
Selected as Egypt’s official submission to the 96th Academy Awards, Voy! Voy! Voy! follows the story of Hassan, a security guard who dreams of travelling abroad. Upon discovering blind football, he impersonates a visually impaired man to join a team heading to a World Cup tournament in Europe. Along the way, Hassan encounters various characters, including an attractive journalist, a middle-aged coach, and his two best friends, all while hoping for a better life in Europe.
The film, which is produced by Vox Cinemas, Film Clinic and Image Nation Abu Dhabi, is written and directed by Omar Hilal marking his cinematic debut and transition from the world of Adverts into the film world.
