Director Ala Eddine Slim's Tunisian film The Last Of Us (Akher Wahed Fina) has been awarded the
Lion of the Future Award for a Debut Film at the 73rd edition of the Venice Film Festival which ended its events on Saturday, the 10th of September. The Last Of Us marks the sole awarded Arab film at the prestigious festival.

The Last of Us tracks a young man (Jawher Soudani) from the desert who steals a boat in order to make an illegal crossing to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea when he rediscovers himself and his relationship with primary nature.

In 2012, Tunisian young director Ala Eddine Slim co-directed the documentary film Babylon which received the Grand Prize at the International Film Festival Marseille. His repertoire includes four short films (feature and documentary). The Last of Us is his first feature film.

About Arab Cinema Center (ACC)

Organized by MAD Solutions, Arab Cinema Center (ACC) opened the year with intensive activities at the 45th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), followed by the 66th Berlinale, the Qumra Doha Film Institute, the Center's first Arab stop since its launch in 2015, in addition to Silk Road Film Festival in Ireland, and Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), the 69th Cannes Film Festival and the 69th Locarno Film Festival.

Previously, ACC revealed its year-round partnership with Variety magazine as the Center's media partner; in addition to a digital partnership with Festival Scope and a technology sponsorship with Striim.in to promote ACC's events in 2016. During Cannes 2016, the Center launched the first issue of the Arab Cinema Magazine, the first English-language Arab publication entirely dedicated to international cinema, which will accompany the Center to shed light on the Arab film industry and the latest up and coming talents.

Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is operating as an international promotional platform for Arab cinema as it provides Arab filmmakers with a professional window to connect with filmmakers from all over the world through a number of events that it organizes and provides networking opportunities with representatives of companies and institutions specialized in co-production and international distribution, among others.
The Center's activities vary between Film Market main wings, introduction and networking sessions for Arab and foreign filmmakers, welcome parties, as well as meetings with international organizations and festivals.