The Septimius Awards ceremony will take place on August 19-20, 2024, at Tuschinski in Amsterdam.
Amjad Al-Rasheed’s critically acclaimed Jordanian film Inshallah a Boy, and the Egyptian thriller Flight 404, directed by Hani Khalifa, have been nominated for multiple categories at the Septimius Awards 2024.
Inshallah a Boy has received five nominations, including Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Producer, Best Cinematography and Best Asian Film. Flight 404 is nominated in four categories: Best Soundtrack, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best African Film.
The awards ceremony will be held on August 19-20, 2024, at Tuschinski in Amsterdam. Stedman Graham, known for being Oprah Winfrey’s partner, will lead a special workshop and participate in a panel discussion.
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.
Written by Mohamed Rajaa, Flight 404 has garnered significant attention since its release in January 2024, grossing over half a million dollars in just five months according to IMDb.
The film stars Zaki as Ghada, an Egyptian woman embarking on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, to atone for past actions. However, an emergency involving a large sum of money forces her to reconnect with shady figures from her past. The cast includes Mohamed Farrag, Mohamed Mamdouh, Shereen Reda, Khaled al-Sawi, Mohamed Alaa and Hassan Al-Adl.
Flight 404 is produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Shahinaz Al-Akkad through Film Clinic and Lagoonie Film Production, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Pictures Entertainment Group and Hi Media Production.
