Toronto Review: Rian Johnson’s ‘Knives Out’ is packed with wit and intrigue
Rian Johnson’s latest is an entertaining and compelling mystery tale with a comedic twist Crime/mystery films, or as Rian Johnson prefers to call it ‘whodunnit’,... Read More
Mina Takla
Mina Takla is a foreign correspondent for AwardsWatch and the co-founder of The Syndicate, an online news agency that offers original content services to several film brands including Empire Magazine’s Middle East edition and the Dubai Film Festival. Takla has attended, covered and written for multiple film festivals online including the Dubai International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Annecy Film Festivals. He has been following the Oscar race since 2000 with accurate, office-pool winning predictions year after year. He writes monthly in Empire Arabia, the Arabic version of the world’s top cinema magazine and conducts press junkets with Hollywood stars in the UK and the US. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from Australia’s Wollongong University and is currently based in Dubai, UAE.
Toronto Review: ‘Certified Mail’ is a risky debut with a career-best performance from Egyptian star Basma
Hisham Saqr’s debut may not be narratively exciting but it marks an assured debut by a new voice willing to take rare risks in Egyptian... Read More
Toronto Review: ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ is unremarkable despite strong performances by Patel and Swinton
Armando Iannucci’s period piece is a charming yet incoherent film that hold commercial potential but lacks artistic risks In a departure from his more satirical... Read More
Toronto Review: the inventive and touching ‘La Llorona’
Jayro Bustamante’s atmospheric film is a unique, inventive look at dictatorship and racism in war-torn Guatemala In his much anticipated follow up to Tremblores and... Read More
Toronto Review: Scott Z. Burns’ ‘The Report’ is an an essential celebration of the pursuit of truth
Scott Z. Burns’ film is an engrossing, gripping look at one of the most crucial and eye-opening reports in US history Known for his intriguing... Read More
Toronto Review: ‘You Will Die at Twenty’ is a stunning and sophisticated debut
Amjad Abu Alala creates one of the best, if not the best, Middle Eastern film of the year with a daring, poetic and reflective film... Read More
Cannes Review: Elia Suleiman’s ‘It Must Be Heaven,’ is a political and sometimes brilliant meta commentary on Palestine identity
Elia Suleiman’s latest is a dryly comedic essay film on the Palestinian identity In the same vein as his previous films, but perhaps less structured... Read More
Cannes Review: Marco Bellocchio’s Godfather-esque ‘The Traitor’ struggles with the duality of its style
Marco Bellocchio’s latest features a clash of cinematic styles with mixed results One of Italy’s most remarkable directors, Marco Bellocchio’s films always have a sense... Read More
Cannes Review: ‘The Bears’ Famous Invasion’
Lorenzo Mattotti’s debut animated feature is an animated feast for the eyes In his first animated feature, Lorenzo Mattoti delivers one of the most beautiful... Read More
Cannes Review: Xavier Dolan’s ‘Matthias and Maxime’ is an improvement over recent works but still lacks emotional urgency
Xavier Dolan’s latest is cluttered, uneven but well-intentioned film about repressed love In his follow-up to a string of negatively received films (It Must Be... Read More
2024 North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA) Nominations 
2024 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle (PFCC) Winners: ‘Anora’ Named Best Film Among its Six Awards 
2024 Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA) Nominations 
2024 Black Reel Awards Nominations: ‘Nickel Boys,’ ‘The Piano Lesson’ Lead