The annual Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival – just announced their jury for the competition, and it includes two Arab women.

Palestinian filmmaker and writer Annemarie Jacir will judge the competition’s full line-up of 18 films, while Egyptian director and producer Hala Lotfy will join the panel for Best First Feature award.

Lotfy is known for her production of the 2018 film Night/Exterior, which was recognised at the 40th Cairo International Film Festival in 2018. She will be on the panel alongside Serbian director Ognjen Glavonic and Spainish flmmaker Gonzalo de Pedro Amatria.

Photo courtesy of eniGma magazine.

Bethlehem-born Jacir, who earned well-deserved acclaim for her 2017 film Wajib following a father-and-son road trip, has also served on the Un Certain Regard jury committee at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Joining her on the panel will be Argentinian-French actress Bérénice Bejo, German producer Bettina Brokemper, American director Kenneth Lonergan, Italian actor Luca Marinelli & Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho.

The 70^th edition of the Berlinale is set to run through February 20^th to March 1^st, and will see Abel Ferrara’s Siberia, Sally Potter-directed The Roads Not Taken and Pixar’s latest animation, Onward compete in the awards.