Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania has been appointed to the international competition jury at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, solidifying her reputation as a leading contemporary director from the Arab world. The festival runs from September 2 to 12 on the Lido in Venice.
Jury Lineup and Responsibilities
Ben Hania will join jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal and six other jurors in selecting the top awards, including the Golden Lion for best film. The jury also includes British composer Daniel Blumberg, Hong Kong filmmaker Johnnie To, French director Xavier Giannoli, Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Italian media scholar Francesco Casetti.
Recent Acclaim and Oscar Nominations
Ben Hania's latest feature, “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 Venice festival and later earned an Academy Award nomination for best international feature film. The film tells the story of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza in 2024 after a harrowing phone call with emergency responders while trapped in a vehicle.
Her 2023 documentary “Four Daughters” won the L’Oeil d’Or for best documentary at Cannes and also received an Oscar nomination. Earlier, “The Man Who Sold His Skin” was nominated for the Academy Award for best international feature film, making Ben Hania a prominent figure on the global festival circuit.
