Directors’ Cut: Arab filmmakers down under
How do you film a live revolution for a feature film? Or get inside the criminal underworld of the UAE? This is your chance to put the big questions to some of the finest filmmakers in the Arab world. Thanks to Etihad, the Arab Film Festival welcomes four filmmakers at the Arab Film Festival. Get your tickets now!
Sameh Abdel Aziz
Abdel Aziz, director of the Cannes sensation The Cry of An Ant will present his film at 8pm on Thursday 30 June. Sameh rewrote the ending of his film to incorporate events in Tahrir Square last January.
Nawaf Al-Janahi
Al-Janahi will open up about the criminal underbelly of the UAE when he presents The Circle at 5pm Saturday 2 July. His film has been described as ‘a major turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema’.
Khalid Al Mahmoud
Al Mahmood brings poetry and symbolism to the screen in Sabeel, a tale of brothers struggling to support their ailing grandmother. He’ll take your questions at the screening at 5pm on Saturday 2 July.Mohammed Ahmed Hassan, writer of Sabeel. His work is known for its imagery and poetry. He’s an award winning screen writer and his works represented the United Arab Emirates in festivals internationally.
Tickets for the Arab Film Festival are selling fast – don’t miss out! Hit the website for full details.
FORUM: Revolution, Romance, Realities
Revolution is in the air and nations from Tunisia to Syria have been thrown into a state of unprecedented political and cultural change. Much of it has been triggered by young Arab people demanding freedom and using new media to get their messages out.
Join us for a free two-hour forum on how digital media has amplified this global mass movement at 4pm on Friday 1 July @ Switch Digital Arts Centre, 8 Victoria Road, Parramatta. The panel, led by Dr Paula Abood, will include Randa Abdel Fattah (author, human rights lawyer and social commentator), Farid Farid aka MC Shedeed (academic, writer and spoken word artist) and Egypt’s Sameh Abdel Aziz (director of The Cry of An Ant).
RSVP to info@arabfilmfestival.com.au.
For more information download flier.
Spotlight on… Majid
Enter a world of cheeky boyhood adventures on the streets of Morocco with Majid. Screening 8pm Saturday 2 July, this film takes us into the world of a 10-year-old orphan, who sells books and shines shoes on the streets of Mohammedia. After recurrent nightmares about his lost parents, Majid embarks on a journey to Casablanca to track down a photo – and memories – of them. His new friend Larbi joins him in his quest, but danger and adventure await them on their journey to the big city.
Winner of best screenplay at the Moroccan National Film Festival, this brilliantly observed and acted film marks the debut of a bevy of new talent, from the young Moroccan director Nassim Abassi to child star Brahim al Bakali. Check out the trailer.
Check out the full program…
Festival Co-Director Mouna Zaylah says this year’s program matches emotional impact with cultural and thematic diversity. “We are mixing it up with a collection of shorts, documentaries and features,” she says. “They come from Australia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, France, Canada, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, USA, Egypt, Syria and Iraq.”
The Arab Film Festival is on at Parramatta Riverside Theatres from Thursday 30 June to Sunday 3 July and then we take off to Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. Check out the full program!
