France’s César Awards Honors Two Tunisians Women

Canadian-Tunisian Filmmaker Monia Chokri won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, for her feature ‘Simple comme Sylvain’. (AP)
Canadian-Tunisian Filmmaker Monia Chokri won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, for her feature ‘Simple comme Sylvain’. (AP)
TT

France’s César Awards Honors Two Tunisians Women

Canadian-Tunisian Filmmaker Monia Chokri won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, for her feature ‘Simple comme Sylvain’. (AP)
Canadian-Tunisian Filmmaker Monia Chokri won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, for her feature ‘Simple comme Sylvain’. (AP)

The prestigious Olympia of Paris hosted the 45th edition of the César Awards, which honors achievers in all the sectors of the French cinema, on Friday, February 24. Among tens of international celebrities, the accomplishments of two Arab women were celebrated at the highly-anticipated European event.

Kaouther Ben Hania won the Best Documentary Award for her documentary "Four Daughters" (Les Filles d’Olfa). The work was screened in several festivals and was nominated for the Oscars.

Born in Sidi Bouzid, in 1977, the Tunisian filmmaker studied at the School of Art and Cinema in Tunisia, has several documentaries, took part in a feature film writing workshop funded by Euromed, and collaborated with Al Jazeera Documentary. Kaouther Ben Hania took advantage of her Olympia appearance to raise her voice and angrily call for stopping the children killing in Gaza. “What’s happening there is so horrible. No one can say, ‘I didn’t know.’ This is the first massacre on live stream, live on our telephones,” she said in her speech.

Also, Quebecois-Tunisian Filmmaker Monia Chokri won the César Award for Best Foreign Film, for her feature ‘Simple comme Sylvain’. It tells the story of Sophie, a university professor who lived a peaceful life with her husband, Xavier, until she met Sylvain, the maintenance worker who came to restore their summer house.

Monia was born in Québec, in 1982, to two leftist parents. She studied acting at the Conservatoire d'art dramatique de Montréal. She played many roles in cinema and theater, before directing her first award-winning short film "An Extraordinary Person" in 2013. In 2019, she won the "Un Certain Regard Jury's Coup de Cœur Award" at the Cannes Film Festival.

This year, the participants at the César Awards raised their voice to denounce the silence in face of the sexual harassment that young actresses, filmmakers and producers have been subjected to in the industry. French director Justine Triet's "Anatomy of A Fall" won six trophies, including the Best Film Award at the César festival. The film has already received Cannes’ Palme D’Or last year and has been nominated for the forthcoming edition of the Oscars.



Falcon Sells for SAR210,000 at Saudi Falcons Club Auction

 The event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting the cultural, civilizational, and economic heritage of falconry - SPA
The event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting the cultural, civilizational, and economic heritage of falconry - SPA
TT

Falcon Sells for SAR210,000 at Saudi Falcons Club Auction

 The event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting the cultural, civilizational, and economic heritage of falconry - SPA
The event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting the cultural, civilizational, and economic heritage of falconry - SPA

A young peregrine falcon fetched a record price of SAR210,000 on the 18th night of this year's Saudi Falcons Club Auction, held between October 1 and November 15 at the club's headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh.
Starting at SAR50,000, the bidding was intense, ultimately leading to the impressive final sale price, according to SPA.
The Saudi Falcons Club offers a comprehensive range of services to falcon owners throughout the auction period. It provides accommodation and transportation for falconers, and broadcasts auctions on television and social media platforms.
As the Kingdom's largest official falcon auction, the event aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting the cultural, civilizational, and economic heritage of falconry.
The club aims to elevate the standards of falcon auctions globally, regulate the buying and selling process, and preserve endangered falcon breeds.