![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IY5WXXCTUYOJTFR6EXKZTQFVYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b08767a1af5ec970a81ee3da93d348d0a986bee5c62550286ab2b65786174a8f&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian-British director Zeina Durra. Wireimage
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Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XFZTGLYX4R3ICOFSZFH4JSQMBY.jpg?smart=true&auth=b98fe195d5a9961c57b823e10c2d6de4ba4cdd1fb6acd6c9c4fe648d8eb34c0f&width=400&height=225)
Sudanese director Amjad Abu Alala. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZNGQMVGPDUGNZGCVGJIYU3DP4I.jpg?smart=true&auth=c76e95fcaff338307187ed90869224c83e72920caef0ce9f5d17d4b201b8ea54&width=400&height=225)
Palestinian director Ameen Nayfeh. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W6KQWWNOCDHQFQKIF6P3DD3DDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6611c4d1d440e32de6448ec1377fefe53a40301decbe23dc1f43b0abb2659789&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian-British actor Amir El Masry. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ADHISR3SY7IAXFRD5V5CJST4IY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7977d4124d8140cd9369cfda845b0e76d0c0e96edcfff2372a86b9612b70deb7&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian director Amr Salama with his partner at El Gouna Film Festival. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVSFUZ56CRQZADV7M2VEJHJ35E.jpg?smart=true&auth=62e79a31aad5ab0696095834635ccf286877fe976224cdc0bd6200db61f31fe0&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Arabian filmmaker Hana Al Omair. Netflix
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL7OFIBBEAXKJKD7PLROGYVWJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=047172d4f59a4c06d28b16937738cead652ea7efb489d857376415828a02f9a6&width=400&height=225)
Lebanese director Jimmy Keyrouz. WireImage
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NYDCWQ37Y56WUJUZAF5DZI6FWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5f76d73df3c0e7e5509e249ac2a7276aacab7a1c2e61703ab3e2888b149c6b8f&width=400&height=225)
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania. La Biennale di Venezia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QIOVPISUQQHP6NRMSZO6AEVNM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=80b36b7b8f967d873318865e58c186b327c635e26488b37cf83455458b42d153&width=400&height=225)
Moroccan musician and actress Khansa Batma. IMDb
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RKJIW5T7SL24LMLCKFYDXH2PDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=20862a9f9ae47112d1fc482c92b45f2cc832d9eea8c73ec702e30248c5620477&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian director Mayye Zayed. AFP
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Egyptian director Morad Mostafa. IMDb
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3OI7L55SFVDO56HSJZB3C7F5GQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d130116755a7e1f59814bc6e0e93598a8cd0ac337e767688e2ee59e48802a8f&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian filmmaker Sameh Alaa. Getty Images
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Palestinian twin brothers and directors Tarzan and Arab Nasser. La Biennale di Venezia.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W5NRDZS62KH46NYU4XR4L2CJOQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=27ed6b56ed3d7816864e7395ab14b95b90769a09272d4a965d798fdc54ca3c6c&width=400&height=225)
Palestinian-American actor and producer Waleed Zuaiter. Ruel Pableo for The National
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Sudanese-British actor Waleed Elgadi. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CEOFXSIWWOJIQKZEEPASHYA6TI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffd3450cd5fbb64ce913d0e5edb3f74df21901746ff4a2e528955a0961070e43&width=400&height=225)
Syrian actor Yahya Mahayni. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQSW4GQ7ZJ7LMNKVNG4EIIYSAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f30b83139015f3ecd3f45bf6566e7895cd671948df55c154b826308659913427&width=400&height=225)
Moroccan actor Youssef Kerkour. Shutterstock
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CDOTIFGGCVROWGA4WJ5I4I33QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f901ee559c8e5d7e776bd3797bb781675a5428e0c149db2664cfe86f67b51d09&width=400&height=225)
Jordanian director Zain Duraie. Courtesy of the artist
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IY5WXXCTUYOJTFR6EXKZTQFVYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b08767a1af5ec970a81ee3da93d348d0a986bee5c62550286ab2b65786174a8f&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian-British director Zeina Durra. Wireimage
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YRYEHRUYXCFXRBUHQM2PCCCB3Y.jpg?smart=true&auth=e758f36cbc68e2cc3a2c0a270d3fa0afc974069f71d5432088f1ba4cee1c3ec5&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XFZTGLYX4R3ICOFSZFH4JSQMBY.jpg?smart=true&auth=b98fe195d5a9961c57b823e10c2d6de4ba4cdd1fb6acd6c9c4fe648d8eb34c0f&width=400&height=225)
Sudanese director Amjad Abu Alala. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZNGQMVGPDUGNZGCVGJIYU3DP4I.jpg?smart=true&auth=c76e95fcaff338307187ed90869224c83e72920caef0ce9f5d17d4b201b8ea54&width=400&height=225)
Palestinian director Ameen Nayfeh. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W6KQWWNOCDHQFQKIF6P3DD3DDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=6611c4d1d440e32de6448ec1377fefe53a40301decbe23dc1f43b0abb2659789&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian-British actor Amir El Masry. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ADHISR3SY7IAXFRD5V5CJST4IY.jpg?smart=true&auth=7977d4124d8140cd9369cfda845b0e76d0c0e96edcfff2372a86b9612b70deb7&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian director Amr Salama with his partner at El Gouna Film Festival. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NVSFUZ56CRQZADV7M2VEJHJ35E.jpg?smart=true&auth=62e79a31aad5ab0696095834635ccf286877fe976224cdc0bd6200db61f31fe0&width=400&height=225)
Saudi Arabian filmmaker Hana Al Omair. Netflix
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FL7OFIBBEAXKJKD7PLROGYVWJ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=047172d4f59a4c06d28b16937738cead652ea7efb489d857376415828a02f9a6&width=400&height=225)
Lebanese director Jimmy Keyrouz. WireImage
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NYDCWQ37Y56WUJUZAF5DZI6FWM.jpg?smart=true&auth=5f76d73df3c0e7e5509e249ac2a7276aacab7a1c2e61703ab3e2888b149c6b8f&width=400&height=225)
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania. La Biennale di Venezia
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QIOVPISUQQHP6NRMSZO6AEVNM4.jpg?smart=true&auth=80b36b7b8f967d873318865e58c186b327c635e26488b37cf83455458b42d153&width=400&height=225)
Moroccan musician and actress Khansa Batma. IMDb
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RKJIW5T7SL24LMLCKFYDXH2PDU.jpg?smart=true&auth=20862a9f9ae47112d1fc482c92b45f2cc832d9eea8c73ec702e30248c5620477&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian director Mayye Zayed. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/JSTTZGVRWD2YDQWBSS4DM6HWAM.jpg?smart=true&auth=4f0d909e04b83233555c4240f9c56db051427d7e400ab75819eb73464e61763d&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian director Morad Mostafa. IMDb
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3OI7L55SFVDO56HSJZB3C7F5GQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=3d130116755a7e1f59814bc6e0e93598a8cd0ac337e767688e2ee59e48802a8f&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian filmmaker Sameh Alaa. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KTBOQXKX54MTFOOXYTDQ673AW4.jpg?smart=true&auth=16d4497cfcdb1af88bd4d366594da8bc83b1d63579d893918876ce6d43a11065&width=400&height=225)
Palestinian twin brothers and directors Tarzan and Arab Nasser. La Biennale di Venezia.
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/W5NRDZS62KH46NYU4XR4L2CJOQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=27ed6b56ed3d7816864e7395ab14b95b90769a09272d4a965d798fdc54ca3c6c&width=400&height=225)
Palestinian-American actor and producer Waleed Zuaiter. Ruel Pableo for The National
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Sudanese-British actor Waleed Elgadi. Getty Images
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CEOFXSIWWOJIQKZEEPASHYA6TI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ffd3450cd5fbb64ce913d0e5edb3f74df21901746ff4a2e528955a0961070e43&width=400&height=225)
Syrian actor Yahya Mahayni. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/OQSW4GQ7ZJ7LMNKVNG4EIIYSAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f30b83139015f3ecd3f45bf6566e7895cd671948df55c154b826308659913427&width=400&height=225)
Moroccan actor Youssef Kerkour. Shutterstock
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CDOTIFGGCVROWGA4WJ5I4I33QU.jpg?smart=true&auth=f901ee559c8e5d7e776bd3797bb781675a5428e0c149db2664cfe86f67b51d09&width=400&height=225)
Jordanian director Zain Duraie. Courtesy of the artist
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IY5WXXCTUYOJTFR6EXKZTQFVYI.jpg?smart=true&auth=b08767a1af5ec970a81ee3da93d348d0a986bee5c62550286ab2b65786174a8f&width=400&height=225)
Egyptian-British director Zeina Durra. Wireimage
In the spotlight: Meet the 20 Arab filmmakers and actors who shone in 2020
These regional cinematic stars all made an impact with their work in a challenging year
![Samia Badih](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F9b278735-3a96-4889-a974-b48d06e06ed2.png?smart=true&auth=1d1d9244dd618698e42a226a717dceb2987b5bf92f549395933ba4970f7caf10&width=70&height=70)
Samia Badih
29 December, 2020
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