Yallah! See you at the movies.

The Arab Film Festival will be held from 1-31 July, 2010. This festival provides a platform for emerging, developing and established Arab filmmakers to show their screen-based work to broad audiences. “Arab filmmakers are making it without Hollywood – they are making films under occupation, in cities of chaos, with limited funds and sometimes no budget at all. We select the best to screen this year to Australian audiences – stories made by Arabs about Arabs – authentic stories – an alternative perspective.” Mouna Zaylah – Festival Co-Director

The Festival has become an internationally recognised event attracting film entries from all over the world. Films have been selected from the Middle East, United States, Europe and Australia. We are excited about the quality of films available for the Festival this year – action-packed drama, documentary’s, thrillers and a collection of experimental and animated shorts. This year we will also launch a collection of home-made films screened to a live musical score by talented local Oud player Mohamed Youssef.

“We are jam-packed with diverse Arab stories, from Morocco via Beirut, on the way through Kuwait, passing through Palestine and then across the Pacific to Australia. We bring you a collection of films – shorts, features and contemporary animations to share the stories and experiences of Arab people.” Fadia Abboud, Festival Co-Director

The festival will screen in five locations across the country launching from the centre of Sydney and from its home at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta and then on to Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane.

SYDNEY 1-4 July Riverside Theatres Parramatta

MELBOURNE 9-11 July Cinema Nova, Carlton

CANBERRA 15-18 July National Film and Sound Archive

ADELAIDE 24-25 July Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas

BRISBANE 30-31 July Dendy Cinemas Portside

TICKET PRICES start from $10 each – please go to the Tickets and Venue section for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT: janinecollinsau@yahoo.com.au or contact us on 02 9897 5744 ext 2 / info@arabfilmfestival.com.au