Billie August  Norwegian director Billie August (the winner of two Cannes Palme d'or prizes for the PELLE THE CONQUEROR in 1987 and THE BEST INTENTIONS in 1992) is the President of the Jury at this year's Montreal World Film Festival (running from August 26 to September 6). The famed director and his jury colleagues will determine the Grand Prix des Ameriques, the  Festival's most prestigious award, as well as winners for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Be...

The Yacoubian Building is reputed to be the most expensive Egyptian film of all time, and is an exceptional piece of filmmaking. Adapted from Alaa El Aswany's novel of the same name, the highly-anticipated picture follows the lives of fictional characters living in the Yacoubian Building; home to members of Cairo's upper-class since 1937. El Aswany's novel deals with power, corruption, sex, exploitation, poverty and extremism. It is one of the best-selling Arabic-language works of fiction in rec...