Yasmin Raeis at the Venice Film Festival with a Film Revolving around the Life of the Star of the East

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Her First Photo in Looking for Oum Kulthum by Director Shirin Neshat

Yasmin Raeis at the Venice Film Festival with a Film Revolving around the Life of the Star of the East


As Venice Film Festival announced the participating films in its 74th edition, superstar Yasmin Raeis posted the first photo of her from the film Looking for Oum Kulthum, which was selected to compete in the Venice Days program. The film is directed by Shirin Nashat who previously won the Silver Lion Award at the festival in 2009.

In the photo posted on Yasmin's official Facebook page, the star appears as she looks out from behind red velvet curtains, similar to the stage curtains, wearing a classic golden gown and sporting a look of defiance.

The film centers around the character of Oum Kulthum as a woman who was able to break down societal, religious, political and national barriers in her eastern society. The film was shot in Morocco and Austria and it is a co-production between German, Austrian, Italian and Moroccon companies.

Yasmin's role in the film brings her back to the limelight at major festivals after she won 6 awards for her role in late director Mohamed Khan's Factory Girl, including: the Best Actress Award at the Dubai International Film Festival, Best Actress Award at Malmo Arab Film Festival in Sweden, Best Actress Award at the 18th Egyptian National Film Festival, the Best Actress Award at the 41st Egyptian Film Association Festival, Best Actress at Silk Road Film Festival in Dublin, Ireland, and most recently, a Special Mention from the Jury of Feature Film
within the International Oriental Film Festival.