Malmo Arab Film Festival (MAFF) in Sweden has selected the feature film Nawara, starring Menna Shalabi, to open its 6th round (30 September - 5 October) with the film's director and writer, Hala Khalil, in attendance. Premiering in Sweden, Nawara is set to compete in the festival's official Feature Competition.

Standing as a unique platform for the Nordic and Arab film industries, MAFF aims to screen films from different Arab countries for the foreign communities residing in Sweden that include almost 175 nationalities. The festival attracts thousands of filmmakers annually, including directors, actors, producers, and film enthusiasts from around the world.

The film takes place as Nawara goes to work every day along a path that takes her between the alleys of the poor neighborhood and the roads that lead to the villas within a luxury compound. Every day, on her way to work, she carries the worries of the people in her neighborhood and their simple dreams. Unbeknownst to her, the spring of 2011 will bring her something unexpected.

Produced by Red Star Films, the film is written and directed by Hala Khalil and stars Menna Shalabi,
Mahmoud Hemida, Ameer Salah Eldin, Shereen Reda, Ragaa Hussein, Ahmed Rateb, and Rahma
Hassan.

So far, Nawara has had a successful international film festivals tour, winning many awards and honors.
Menna Shalabi won the Best Actress award for her role in the film at the last round of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), where the film had its world premiere; Tetouan International Mediterranean Film Festival; and Oran Arab Film Festival, where the film also won the Golden Wahr Award. Upon its release in cinemas, Nawara topped the Egyptian box office in its very first week.

Hala Khalil is a young director who attracted attention since her debut film Ahla al awkat (2004), which also starred Menna Shalabi alongside two other superstars Hend Sabry and Hanan Turk. She went on to work on the ward-winning film Cut and Paste (2007), which won the Best Arab Film and the Award for the Best First or Second Work at the Cairo International Film Festival.