Ahmed Bouanani
, 1971
, 24 min
Synopsis: In the late 1960s, Ahmed Bouanani—working as an editor for the CCM—was “exiled” to the organization’s cinematic archives as a punishment for alleged leftist sympathies. Turning the assignment to his advantage, he made a found-footage film that repurposed the documentaries produced by the French during the colonial period to a strong anticolonial essay film. While…
Sara Sadik
, 2021
, 16 min
“A character study animated entirely within the Grand Theft Auto V video game, KHTOBTOGONE begins as a love story between protagonist Zine and the girl of his dreams, Bulma. But in introspective narration, Zine reflects more broadly on masculinity and coming of age in Marseille’s Maghrebi community. Inspired by the experiences of her male friends from southern…
Assia Djebar
, 1977
, 115 min
“This classic film from acclaimed novelist and filmmaker Assia Djebar is essential viewing for an understanding of women in Algeria. Taking its title and structure from the ‘Nouba,’ a traditional song of five movements, this haunting film mingles narrative and documentary styles to document the creation of women’s personal and cultural histories. Returning to her…
Sarah Saidan
, 2022
, 15 min
Omid is an Iranian immigrant who came to France with his family. One evening, in the street, he is attacked and stabbed in the heart. At the hospital, the diagnosis is formal: he has no heart. Has he left it behind in Iran?
August 2023
Latifa Said, Moumen Smihi, Dina Amer
UN/BELONGING Featuring works by Dina Amer, Latifa Said and Moumen Smihi Screening Online: August 12 – 20, 2023 RSVP: artearchive.orgFree / $5 suggested donationAvailable in the Middle East, North Africa, United States and Canada In person screening: Sunday, August 13, 2023UnionDocs: 352 Onderdonk Ave, Queens, NY 11385Buy tickets here UN/BELONGING presents films that share intimate stories from the North African immigrant experience in…
Moumen Smihi
Synopsis: Shot in Paris after Smihi completed film school, Si Moh, the Unlucky Man is an investigation of the life of migrant workers in France. Connected to the Maghreb by postcards and to his fellow migrants by shared experiences of alienation, the character Simoh negotiates the industrialized suburbs of Paris as the subject of his intimate camera. Smihi’s…
Dina Amer
, 90 min
Synopsis: Cultural and intergenerational trauma erupt in this story about two sisters on the outskirts of Paris. After the siblings are torn apart, the eldest, Hasna, struggles to find her identity, leading to a choice that shocks the world. Director Dina Amer takes on one of the darkest issues of our time and deconstructs it in…
July 2023
Nadia Shihab, Yto Barrada, Firouzeh Khosrovani
FAMILY PORTRAIT presents a compelling program of personal works by filmmakers who courageously turn the lens on their own families, revealing the resulting fractures that shape the fabric of their personal identities. Through these films, the filmmakers embark on a journey of excavation, unearthing their family histories and sharing intimate narratives that illuminate the interplay…
April 2023
Sam Arbor, Naures Sager, Sarah Kaskas, Aziz Zoromba, Karina Dandashi, Dania Bdeir, Adam Ali
ARAB FILM SERIES PRESENTS: WHO WE ARE In honor of Pride Month, the Arab Film Series presents: Who We Are a collection of award-winning short films that highlight the experiences of Queer Arabs around the globe. Each film tells the story of a character whose desire to live authentically comes in conflict with the people and society…
Aziz Zoromba
, 2020
, 18 min
After being estranged from his family for his homosexuality, we observe a young Arab man over four seasons and from far away as he navigates his solitude – all the while attempting to reconnect with his mother.
