LAST AND FIRST MEN by Jóhann Jóhannsson nominated for the Arab Critics' Award
The Icelandic experimental science fiction film Last and First Men, by the late Icelandic musician and film composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, is one of 22 films nominated for the Arab Critics' Award for European Films . The films are nominated by European Film Promotion (EFP) and the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) and the awards ceremony will be hosted at this year's edition of the Cairo International Film Festival in December.
Last and First Men explores zones of decay and ruin where great tragedies have occurred – places charged with symbolism. Throughout the film we sense a spectral presence, an entity that is attempting to communicate with us.
The film had its world premiere in the Berlinale Special section of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival (or Berlinale), which took place February 20 – March 1. The project, which was directed by Jóhannsson, began as a touring multimedia project that screened in concert halls as accompaniment to Jóhannsson's live orchestral score. Since its premiere at the Berlinale, the film has received very positive reviews from Variety, IndieWire, Cineuropa, Screendaily, and The Playlist.
International sales for Last and First Men are being handled by Films Boutique (gabor@filmsboutique.com)
The Arab Critics' Awards for European Films was launched in 2019 by EFP and ACC. It is a spin-off from the ACC's now well-established Critics' Awards to boost film diversity in the region and raise the interest of sales and industry for outstanding European films. This initiative also aims to cast light on the distinguished film critics from 14 Arab-speaking countries and their important role in opening up new perspectives and bridging cultural idiosyncrasies. In 2019, the film God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya by Teona Strugar Mitevska won the first Arab Critics' Award for European Films.