Two Arab films announced on International Critics' Week line-up

The International Critics' Week runs in parallel with the Cannes Film Festival

The International Critics' Week runs in parallel to France's Cannes Film Festival. Alamy 

Two Arab films have been selected for the 60th International Critics' Week, where they will host their world premieres.

The event, which runs in parallel with the Cannes Film Festival, will take place from Wednesday, July 7 to Thursday, July 15.

Feathers, a feature film by Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy tells the story of a mother who dedicates her life to her husband and children. When a magic trick goes wrong at her 4-year-old son's birthday party, an avalanche of coincidental absurdities befall the family.

The magician turns her husband into a chicken, and the mother is forced to come to the fore and take care of the family, while doing what she can to bring her husband back. The film is co-produced by Film Clinic and Lagoonie Film Production.

El Zohairy's first short film, Breathe Out (Zafir), premiered at the 8th Dubai International Film Festival and won the Muhr Special Jury Prize for Short Films. His second short film, The Aftermath of the Inauguration of the Public Toilet at Kilometre 375, was the first Egyptian film to be selected for the Cinefondation competition at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, the film went on to win several awards around the world.

A Tale of Love and Desire by Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid will also have its world premiere as the closing film at Critics' Week.

The film tells the story of 18-year-old Ahmed, a French teen of Algerian origin who grew up in the suburbs of Paris. At university, he meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl, full of energy, who has just arrived in Paris. While discovering a collection of Arab literature he never imagined existed, Ahmed falls head over heels in love with Farah, and although literally overwhelmed with desire, he tries to resist it.

This is Bouzid's second feature film. In 2015, her first feature, As I Open My Eyes, was awarded at the Venice Film Festival before being selected by other international festivals.

The Cannes Film Festival, which will run from July 6 to 17, announced its official selection last week.