During the closing ceremony of the Egyptian National Film Festival, on Tuesday, at El-Gomhoreya Theatre, Between Two Seas by director Anas Tolba received six awards, raising the film's tally to 21 international awards in total. Held with the attendance of Egypt's Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem, the ceremony was held without audience and was only limited to the jury members in the light of the COVID-19's precautionary measurements of social distancing.

Between Two seas received Best Director Award (Anas Tolba), Best Script(Amany El Tounsy and Karim El Dalil), Best Supporting Actor (Mahmoud Fares), Best Supporting Actress (Arfa Abdel Rassoul), Best pre-production and Best Editing (Yamen Zakaria).

Between Two Seas has received 15 awards in total, becoming one of the most critically acclaimed films in 2019. Previously, the film won the Best Poster award at the annual Film Society Festival For Egyptian Cinema, two Best Director awards for Anas Tolba and Best Script at Festival International du Cinéma de la Diversité Taza in Morocco. It also won Best Narrative Feature and a Certificate of Outstanding Achievement (Screenplay), at the Brooklyn Film Festival and two other awards during its world premiere at the 3rd Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF); the Nut Award for Best Film that addresses women's issues, and the Best Director award, presented by the Cinema Professions Syndicate.

The film was screened at several regional and international film festivals, including the Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival in Palestine, Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan, Religion Today Film Festival in Italy, Aarhus Arab Film Festival in Denmark, Arab Film Festival Tübingen in Germany, and the Mostra de Valencia in Spain.

The film was released in Egyptian theaters, and landed two screenings at Zamalek Cinema, and one screening at El Hangar Theatre at the Cairo Opera House and the Cairo International Book Fair. Celebrating its success at international film festivals, the film screened at an event organized by the National Council for Women, in collaboration with UN Women, at Karim screening hall at Zawya Cinema. The film is a joint collaboration between the National Council for Women, UN Women, Axeer, along with a number of development partners as part of their belief in the important role that cinema plays in changing negative perceptions towards women in different societies.

While on a short visit to her home village, a small rural island near Cairo, Zahra's daughter is exposed to a tragic accident. Following this incident, Zahra persists on getting her daughter's right and insists on not only continuing her education but also benefiting her community. The film sheds light on different societal issues faced by women, especially in rural areas.

Directed by Anas Tolba and written by Mariam Naoum, based on a script by Amany El Tounsy and Karim El Dalil, Between Two Seas stars Fatma Adel, Yara Goubran, Tharaa Goubail, Mahmoud Fares, Arfa Abdel Rassoul, and Lobna Wanas. The film is produced by Axeer and executive produced by Abdelrahman Al Garwani. MAD Solutions handles the film’s marketing and distribution in the Arab world.


Anas Tolba is an Egyptian filmmaker who started his career in 2010 by co-founding the media production company, Axeer. He directed many music videos for a large number of singers and artists from across the Arab world, including: Zap Tharwat, Hamza Namira, and Cairokee. In 2013, he directed and produced his first 30-minute documentary, Extracurricular that features a mother who believes in the power of traveling to educate her children. In 2017, he directed his first 15-minute short film, Mariam and The Sun. The film was recognized with Jury Selection Awards in the Accolade Film Competition and the Hollywood Film Festival.