WINNERS 2026
Backstage (Dirs. Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane)
Best Feature
The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class Into Foreigners (Dir. Samir)
Best Documentary
Zahra (Dir. Hadi Shatat)
Best Short
This Jungo Life (Dir. David Fedele)
Audience Choice Award
Programme 2026
I’m Migrant
Two Documentary Portraits
Friday 27 February 2026, 18:30–20:30
Screening followed by a Q&A with the DirectorIn this deeply personal project, Director Yamam Nabeel shares the Iraq he missed out on, as the young son of exiled Iraqi poet Nabeel Yasin, a parallel Iraq created by these artists he grew up with in Europe.I’m Migrant: Koutaiba Al Janabi
Dir: Yamam Nabeel
I’m Migrant: Ghani Alani
Dir: Yamam Nabeel
I’m Migrant is a documentary portrait series of exiled Iraqi artists that lends its name to the festival. Created by the festival’s founder, Yamam Nabeel, it tells the stories of the cultural and personal homeland created by artists away from Iraq. These two episodes are with the Iraqi calligrapher Ghani Alani, the only student of Hashem Al-Khattat to receive the "Ijaze", which makes him part of a historic lineage of calligraphers dating back to Abbasid times, and Koutaiba Al Janabi whose films tell the stories of the suffering the Iraqi people have endured.
Home Truths
Nine Stories of Relationships and Private Lives
Tuesday 24 February 2026, 18:45–20:45
Screening followed by a Q&A with the film DirectorsWhether it’s family relationships, marriage, or the trivial every day, human behaviour is fascinating, yet there’s always a common thread. These contrasting stories offer an intimate glimpse behind the curtains, letting us in to the lives of others.Films in this Programme
Hamloul, Dir: Hajar Abdeaziz, 9 mins
Hamloul is a young race camel forced to retire early due to an injury. Linda Krockenberger, his keeper, is working on raising his confidence again. During a journey across Dubai desert, we’ll discover Hamloul’s unique personality and the deep bond they have developed.
Haj Ahmed, Dir: Sayed Mousavi, 9 mins
Ahmed goes back home to his mother Afsoon, who is celebrating his return after a long absence. Both mother and son will have to keep up their lies about this absence in order to save their reputation amongst their relatives.
It’s Not About Ketchup, Dir: Nasser Saeed, 10 mins
‘It's Not About Ketchup’ is a documentary that delves into the intricate lives of a couple facing a challenge in their relationship. Centered around a seemingly trivial issue – their relationship with ketchup – but it has deeper dimensions. The film captures the essence of their journey, portraying the nuanced dynamics of love and understanding.
Reviving Eman, Dir: Feras Awad, 10 mins
Inspiring story of an Emirati paramedic whose career was unexpectedly terminated by a debilitating injury. Determined to continue helping others, she directs her passion into becoming a certified rescue diver and paramedic Instructor, embracing new challenges, and finding fulfillment doing what she loves. A tale of resilience and courage.
Zahra, Dir: Hadi Shatat, 15 mins
A worker in a clothing factory, pregnant in the last days, finds herself in need of money to have a C-section delivery, which leads her to discover the tragic existence in a community of individuality.
Umm Salama The Matchmaker, Dir: Mariam Alawadhi, 11 mins
As Umm Salama finally persuades her stubborn daughter Salama to consider marriage, she embarks on a journey to find the perfect suitor for her daughter. However, as Salama starts considering potential suitors, Umm Salama’s conflicting emotions cloud her judgment, leading to unexpected outcomes.
Shame, Dir: Fatema Al Mansoori, 8 mins
Mahra's attempt to flee from home is abruptly halted when her mother catches her. In the ensuing intense confrontation, Mahra is faced with a pivotal choice: accept her predetermined fate or summon the strength to assert her independence and forge her own destiny.
Self Commitment, Dir: Aseel Ihssan Yaseen, 16 mins
The stories of women in the world are similar, regardless of their differences, believing in the humanity means believing in our similarity as human beings, which is not understood by many people around the world, not just by men, but some females themself, these picture comes due to a mixture of social heritage, the economic situation that affects both sexes and therefore women, the law which stands against women in some cases, traditions and decision-makers who believe that women are sex machines and servants.
Mahsati, Dir: Suad Gara, 12 mins
A young theatre actress Mina struggles to play the role of Mahsati Ganjavi, the rebellious 12th century poetess. Prompted to loosen up by her friends, she goes on a night about town looking for inspiration. When she meets an attractive stranger, their agendas remain hidden beneath the veneer of an Eastern fairy tale.
Fractured Horizons
Three Stories of Migration and the Desire for Refuge
Sunday 22 February 2026, 18:10–20:10
Screening followed by a Q&AThroughout history, migration has been the most natural human movement, yet colonialism has created an unfair divide between those who have and those who have not. These films tell stories of people risking their lives for a better future in Europe.Films in this Programme
Game Over, Dirs: Saeed Mayahy and Miriam Carlsen, 28 mins
"Game Over" tells the story of a diverse group of illegal Afghan youngsters, who have been left with no choice, but to leave their homes and families behind, to flee as teenagers to a foreign country. The film follows their life in Zeytinburnu, an Afghan diaspora in Turkey, where they do not speak the language and must live underground, hiding from the police, while working in shady jobs. In an underground basement, Mo and Ali live with 30 other boys. As the place is crammed, they spend their awakening hours outside moving around the streets and parks of Zeytinburnu, always on the go, to avoid being caught by the police. Left with no one but themselves to look after one another, their incredible strength and yet extreme vulnerability surface side by side in the no-man's land between childhood and adulthood. Fearlessly, they play a dangerous game of destiny over and over again, determined to smuggle themselves into Europe - a utopia far away. They have all lost so much, they are willing to jeopardize everything to win the dreamy prize of safety and freedom. But at what cost?
This Jungo Life, Dir: David Fedele, 77 mins
"This Jungo Life" is a collaboration between filmmaker David Fedele, and a group of young refugees and asylum seekers from Sudan and South Sudan, who are living and sleeping rough on the streets of Morocco. They call themselves "Jungo" - A name traditionally given to seasonal agricultural workers from Sudan, which is now also adopted by refugees, asylum seekers and migrants on the road. Most have arrived in Morocco since 2020, forced to flee violence and instability in Libya, and unable to return home due to ongoing war and conflict. They are drawn to the capital city of Rabat, seeking to claim asylum with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and be granted refugee status. Most also dream of entering Europe, crossing the heavily militarised fences into the Spanish cities of Sebta (Ceuta) or Melilla, European enclaves on the African continent. This Jungo Life seeks to tell their story from the inside .... unfiltered, with authenticity and without sensationalism. A story of resilience in the face of suffering.
Shapes of Earth, Dirs: Diogo Pereira and Sanja Vrzić, 11 mins
“Shapes of Earth” is a short documentary that explores the ancient art of handmade clay brick production. The film patiently follows the meticulous and sustainable process, from mixing dirt into a paste to modeling, drying, and baking the bricks. Each step is depicted with an artisan's touch, preserving techniques handed down through generations. The journey culminates in showcasing the façade of a historical building adorned with beautiful patterns made from these bricks, a signature feature of the city of Tozeur. This film not only celebrates the timeless craftsmanship but also reflects on the enduring legacy of sustainable building practices.
Sumud: Life Endures
Three Stories From Palestine
Thursday 19 February 2026, 18:00–20:00
Screening followed by a Q&AFilms in this Programme
Holidays in Palestine, Dir: Maxime Lindon, 60 mins
Shadi, a Palestinian activist turned French citizen, returns to Wadi Rahal, near Bethlehem in occupied Palestine. The reunion is emotionally charged, and Shadi even dreams of a permanent return. Six years later, he still reminisces about these holidays and shares his story with us… Still haunted by these memories, he leads a peaceful life, far from the suffering of his homeland. Does he see and consider his exile as a surrender or as an accomplishment?
Eyes of the Forgotten, Dir: Khaled M Askar, 60 mins
Journey through 9 Palestinian & Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon, experiencing the raw emotions and lives of those forever impacted by destruction, displacement, and death as they navigate life under siege, yet again. Hear their stories dating all the way back to the Nakba in 1948 to the recent Israeli bombardment of Lebanon in 2024, with their pride never wavering as history continues to repeat itself.
Adas Falasteen, Dirs: Hamdi Khalil Elhusseini and Samar Taher Lulu, 8 mins
"Palestine Lentils" is a documentary film that tells the story of a Palestinian chef and his role in using his hobby as a shield against the famine caused by the war on Gaza, preserving the spirit of resilience and hope within his community.
As far as modern tragedies go, sadly Palestine stands out as one of the biggest injustices of our time. Yet the resilience of its people is unmatched. These three films tell stories of struggle, identity and hope through the eyes of Nakba survivors, exiled Palestinians and genocide survivors.
The Miraculous Transformation of
the Working Class into Foreigners
Thursday 17 February 2026, 18:40–20:40
Screening followed by a Q&A
Dir: Samir, 95 minsAs in all industrialized European countries, social democrats and trade unions led the workers’ movement. And–although not simultaneously–these institutions had lost their impact all over western Europe by the 1980s. Racist policies succeeded in driving a wedge between immigrant and native workers. This factor, together with the de-industrialization at the end of the 1970s, led to the decline of the classical workers' movement in Switzerland as well. Today nobody talks about the ‘working class’ anymore. The term ‘worker’ has become synonymous with ‘foreigner’. Filmmaker Samir uses private family photos, animations, music clips and unseen archive material, to tell the story of migration from Switzerlands southern neighbours in an entertaining way, from the post-war period to the present day.
The Forgotten Civilisation
Two Iraqi Filmmakers
Sunday 15 February 2026, 18:00 20:00
Screening followed by a Q&AAlthough it is the birthplace of civilisation, Iraq’s modern history is full of destruction and violence, yet hope seems to prevail. Iraqi stories mirror this narrative. This screening will bring together two contrasting Iraqi filmmakers each focusing on manifestations of state sponsored violence but from very different perspectives.
Screening followed by a panel discussionFilms in this Programme
Tales of the Wounded Land, Dir: Abbas Fadhel, 120 mins
An intimate chronicle of the war that devastated southern Lebanon for a year and a half, this film captures the everyday lives of those caught in the storm. Through the voices of family, friends, and neighbours, it bears witness to loss, displacement, and the fragile efforts to heal, rebuild, and preserve dignity in the aftermath of destruction.
Sahar, Dir: Kuhel Khalid, 9 mins
Ali, a political activist in a state that forbids independent thought, is imprisoned in a secret detention centre run by government agents. When the regime seeks to break him, they bring his wife Sahar into the same cell. Amid oppression, the couple creates tender moments that reveal the resilience of an entire people.
Uneasy Balance
Two Stories of Lebanese Identity and Displacement
Thursday 12 February 2026,18:15–20:15
Screening followed by a Q&AAlthough it is the birthplace of civilisation, Iraq’s modern history is full of destruction and violence, yet hope seems to prevail. Iraqi stories mirror this narrative. This screening will bring together two contrasting Iraqi filmmakers each focusing on manifestations of state sponsored violence but from very different perspectives.Screening followed by a panel discussionFilms in this Programme:
What If We Were Happy?, Dir: Julie-Yara Atz, 30 mins
Are events cyclical? Does history repeat itself? Through the director’s eyes, we follow Lebanese photographer Nadim, street artist Roula and the director’s Syrian flatmate Haifa as they discuss being alive in Lebanon nowadays.
The Jacket, Dir: Mathijs Poppe, 71 mins
The Jacket is a portrait of Jamal Hindawi, a Palestinian man who lives in exile with his family in the Shatila Refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Together with his friends, he makes political theatre about their profound connection to their homeland, Palestine, and their situation as refugees in their country of residence, Lebanon. When Jamal embarks on a journey to search for an important lost theatre prop, he witnesses how the successive political and economic crises have disrupted an entire region and its people.
Sudan, Remember Us
The ongoing civil war and genocide in Sudan is tragically underrepresented in the mainstream. These two films give us very different pictures from unique perspectives of an unfolding catastrophe in Sudan.
Screening followed by a Q&AFeature plus Short
Thursday 10 February 2026,18:45–20:45Northing Happens After That, Dir: Ibrahim Omar, 12 mins
In a diligent attempt, Thomas seeks to find a final resting place for their only child, but he is surprised that today is not the right day to do so.
Sudan, Remember Us, Dir: Hind Meddeb, 86 mins
‘Sudan, Remember Us’ bears witness to a lost revolution and within it unearths a tribute to the power of creativity as a tool of survival and resistance. In 2019, documentary filmmaker Hind Meddab flew to Sudan to film a sit-in protest at the Army headquarters in Khartoum. The people of Sudan were assembling, demanding reform after decades of military dictatorship. There she met a selection of young activists that she would continue to film over the course of 4 years, from the swell of hope and accomplishment following dictator Omar al-Bashir’s fall to the oppression of the military crackdown and subsequent civil war, which today, leaves Sudan in ruins. In conversations, in demonstrations, on walls, it emerges how the Sudanese tradition for poetry becomes a powerful tool for activism.
It Must Be Heaven
Dirs: Elia Suleiman, 102 mins
ES escapes from Palestine seeking an alternative homeland, only to find that Palestine is trailing behind him. The promise of a new life turns into a comedy of errors: however far he travels, from Paris to New York, something always reminds him of home. From award-winning director Elia Suleiman, a comic saga exploring identity, nationality and belonging, in which Suleiman asks the fundamental question: where is the place we can truly call home?
sunday 8 February 2026,18:20–20:20
Just Like Us
Eight Queer Stories from the SWANA Region
wednesday 4 February 2026,18:15–20:15Unspoken for so long, queerness has always been an identity as part of the culture in the wider SWANA Region. Whether it’s gender or sexuality, fluidity has always been accepted, until colonialism created hard binaries. In this screening, queer storytellers reclaim these suppressed identities.
Screening followed by a panel discussionFilms in this Programme
Queer Exile, Dir. Ahmed Awadalla, 10 mins
After fleeing Egypt in the wake of the 2011 revolution, an activist seeks refuge in Berlin, yearning for a fresh start and the promise of safety and freedom. Yet, his journey leads him to a refugee camp situated in an area frequented by far-right groups staging anti-refugee demonstrations. Caught in the crossfire of hostility in his adopted home and the longing for his former life, he confronts profound questions about belonging, sacrifice, and the true meaning of freedom.
Solars United, Dir. Sara Harrak, 15 mins
As grass roots womxn's football team 'Solers United' face eviction, emotions bubble between teammates, Nelly and Bills. Enter new striker Sals with looks as impressive as her footwork, Bills can't help but envy her instant connection to Nelly. As the halftime whistle blows, tensions reach a boiling point and Nelly and Bills must confront their emotions to mend their fractured bond.
Please Be Happy, Dir. Elif Gönen, 10 mins
Please Be Happy is a Short Docu-Film exploring the varying relationship dynamics within three families on the intersection of parenthood and queerness. Taking the viewer into the intimate real-life environment of its subjects, the film challenges what we consider to be “traditional” family life.
One Like Him, Dir. Caitlin McLeod, 16 mins
A Jordanian man, Karim must find a way to tell his childhood friend and first love (Ramzi) the truth about what happened twenty years ago, when a single moment changed both their lives. When he can’t find the words, the conversation repeats, becoming increasingly surreal until he loses control.
Neo Nadha, Dir. May Ziadé, 12 mins
Mona, a young woman in London, finds archived photographs of Arab women cross-dressing in the 1920s. Somewhere between her fantasies and reality, she starts a feverish journey of uncovering lost histories and her own identity. Through a coming-of-age narrative, the film explores the euphoric relationship those who are marginalised create with images and symbols, and how archive images can be a portal for the world of inner projections, creating meaning and grounding one's identity.
Mâsk, Dir. Saba Kia, 3 mins
Inspired by the aftermath of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in 2022 and the enduring weight of diaspora guilt, this film explores the invisible labour of emotional self-containment. It examines how grief, rage and helplessness are carefully edited out of public life, especially for those living safely elsewhere, expected to continue, produce and perform while history burns at home.
I Never Promised You A Jasmine Garden, Dir. Teyama Alkamli, 20 mins
Tara, a queer Palestinian woman in her late 20s, attempts to suppress her internal emotional turbulence during a phone call with her best friend Sarab, with whom she is in love.
Maghreb’s Hope, Dir. Bassem Ben Ben Brahim, 24 mins
Through a fusion of drawing, animation techniques, and real-life footage,these artistic portrayals highlight the experiences of queer individuals from the "BIG Maghreb" region, including Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. These individuals have courageously shattered societal taboos surrounding their gender and sexuality, defying legal, social, and familial pressures, even among those who have chosen to distance themselves from their families.
Echoes of a Distant Home
Five Stories of Longing and Identity
tuesday 3 February 2026,18:00–20:00In this screening programme, we bring together filmmakers who explore the feeling of identity in the transience created by migration and exile that leaves us balancing the home we lost and the home we created.
Screening followed by a panel discussionFilms in this programme
Bye Bye Tiberias, Dir. Lina Soualem, 82 mins
Leaving her village to follow her dream of becoming an actress, Hiam Abbass also left behind her mother, grandmother and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to journey through the vanished places among the scattered memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women.
In Three Layers of Darkness, Dir. Houcem Slouli, 15 mins
The film follows Ghassen, a young Tunisian man, in his quest to obtain a visa, addressing the themes of immigration and perseverance against bureaucratic injustice for a fundamental right: freely moving in this world.
Bladi | My Country, Dir. Leila Gamaz, 5 mins
Drawing on family lived experience of destitution and sleeping on the underground in 80s Paris, Bladi - My Country uses the train as a vehicle to explore how displacement feels as an embodied experience across generations. Personal and public archives are pieced together, blurring linear timeframes that speak to the haziness of memory and ongoing colonial subjugation of people we see around the world today.
Liminal, Creative producer: Reem Maghribi, 4 mins
Liminal is a short film that presents in bite size what we have spent years researching: the impact of conflict and migration on identity and belonging. It is driven by quotes taken from some of the over 300 lengthy interviews we conducted with Syrians forced to flee.
sharq.org has documented over 500 stories told by Syrians and others from the Arabic speaking region. we’ve produced reports and books and podcasts that reflect and examine these stories, but film as a story sharing medium is very effective at provoking interest, empathy and curiosity.
we audio record interviews. not everyone wants to be caught on camera. sometimes because they’re shy. more often because of security concerns. so animation helps us bring their words and voices to life and to audiences. it enables us to honour the courageousness of the experience they share and their willing to do so whilst also avoiding causing them harm.
Lost in Time, Dir. Maryam Hassanein, 21 mins
A docu-fiction follows 2 young Egyptian women’s journeys exploring past memories from the 60s-80s through archival home videos, audio recordings, and recreation of movie scenes.
Backstage
sunday 1 February 2026,18:20–20:20Screening followed by a panel discussionDirs: Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane, 102 mins
Aida, member of a Tunisian contemporary dance troupe touring Morocco, provokes during a presentation in a small Middle Atlas town, her life and stage partner Hedi, who injures her onstage triggering a series of events through a long night across a forest, on the way to the next village’s doctor.
Programme 2025
The Teacher
Saturday 1 February 2025, 18:20Dir: Farah Nabulsi
A Palestinian schoolteacher struggles to reconcile his risky commitment to political resistance with the chance of a new relationship with volunteer-worker Lisa and his emotional support for one of his students Adam.
Hidden Lives
five short films
Saturday 1 February 2025, 18:20
Five short films by a diverse group of directors, whose films highlight about social issues that tend to ignored and hidden, as that might be easier that to talk openly about them. We are proud to showcase these directors whose films target these subjects head on, whether it’s LGBTQ+, gender roles, masculinity or inter-racial relationships.Films in the programme
Ali’s Secret, Dir: Mona Daoud, 27 mins
A couple’s strained relationship is pushed to its limits when Ali’s long estranged friend shows up to stay with them for the weekend, unsettling the already turbulent waters and bringing to the surface a long deeply buried secret.
I Am Amina, Dir: Nabila Eltigi, 10 mins
A turn into an arranged marriage day, showcasing a woman's bravery and empowerment. It focuses on a South Asian Muslim woman, Amina Hamid, who is torn between the fascination of the idea of marriage, arranged by her traditional parents, or the freedom and thrill she experiences after taking a motorbike ride with her neighbour, Honey.
Pro, Dir: Sarra Ryma, 8 mins
In PRO, we'll get a peek in the world of a 20 something full service sex worker named Lou while she manages her love life, personal life and work life.
Tabbouleh and Pie, Dir: Ja’far Abd al-Hamid, 18 mins
Richard’s life of a retired insurance manager in London is interrupted when Fatin, a stage director from Iraq, moves in next door. Through her vivacious and extrovert nature, she challenges Richard to connect with his less reserved self.
Leaving Baghdad
Thursday 6 February 2025, 18:45
Dir: Koutaiba Al Janabi
Leaving Baghdad is a road movie that follows Sadik, the personal cameraman to the leader Saddam Hussein, at the end of the nineties. Sadik is trying to escape the grip of the regime, being pursued from country to country, encountering smugglers and crooks on his journey. Sadik suffers from paranoia and constant fear. The Iraqi secret police are after him because he is carrying evidence of the atrocities committed by the regime. Sadik is dreaming to go to London, to join his wife who is, however, unwilling to help. In his despair and loneliness, Sadik writes letters to his son, Semir. These letters turn into a confession and reveal Sadik's past and the real reason for his fleeing , the endless waiting and his paranoia.
I’m Migrant
Saturday 8th February, 18.45pmDir: Yamam Nabeel
These two episodes, from Yamam Nabeel’s I’m Migrant series, are intimate documentary portraits of the Iraqi painters Afifa Aleiby and Faisel Laibi Sahi. Born in Iraq’s second largest city, Basra, the globally recognised sister and brother painters, left Iraq in 1974 to Europe to study, with the hope of returning to Iraq upon completing their studies in the former Soviet Union and France respectively, only to end up in exile that has lasted until now.
Open Call Night
Tuesday 11 February 2025, 18:45pm
An evening of short films from the most exciting emerging filmmakers from the SWANA Region.Films in this Programme
Their Voices and Mine, Dir: Moses NaitCharif , 13 mins
Their Voices and Mine is a nuanced representation of the character struggles we experience growing up in the west with a cultural duality] and the metamorphosis we painstakingly undertake in attempting to make peace with our nomadic identity. Part love letter to hoop culture; part romanticised self retrospection, the continual questions we ask ourselves are framed through the interrogation of masculinity, culture and religion. Trying to repeatedly navigate between the 'liberal' west, and the more conservative Arabian subcultures, this film explores that bitter process of attempting to understand our own identity, while trying to guide ourselves in a land we don’t really understand.
Ana Dammi Falastini, Dir: Omar Ismail and Jay Scanlan-Oumow, 12 mins
A short documentary film which explores life as a Palestinian in the UK over the last year. Directed and produced (with no budget) by Jay Scanlan-Oumow and Omar Ismail. Shot in Newcastle upon Tyne, for Gaza.
I’ll Wait For You By The Sea, Dir: Rasia Yusuf, 7 mins
Cairo, 2023, Trying to recollect her memories, 25 years old Rasia writes a letter to her new half-sister, having not met her yet, telling her about all the father-daughter memories and also trying to show her what her life in Cairo looks like.
Roots, Dir: Ahmed Elshebiny, 16 mins
An old, sick man is surprised when his son leaves a plant in front of his house and travels away, hoping it will take his place in his father’s heart. The man faces the challenge of accepting his loneliness and living with the plant, or overcoming his pride and trying to connect with his son.
Dear Bilad Al-Sham, Dir: Sarah Salahi, 6 mins
An intimate love letter voiced by diaspora, representative of all peoples. Dear Bilad Al-Sham, is the direct reassurance to a crumbling Arab world, referring to the land as if a person, that the next generation outside the motherland are still fighting for her, exploring this struggle as one sweetening with distance rather deteriorating. With the belief that hope drives the people past any geographical disconnect, this short film builds on a promised hope possessed by all displaced people.
The Post, Dir: Zakaria Bashir, 10 mins
In a small post office, 6 people witness the death of an old employee. Each one of them goes back to his daily life and analyzes what happened to the employee based on his feelings. A person who saw the employee after he fell decides to turn what he saw into a play from his point of view.
The Arab Film Club Presents: Palestinian Shorts–Ghosts from the Past, Present and Future
Thursday 13 February 2025, 18:50
The Arab Film Club presents an evening of short films at the Genesis Cinema as part of Art Forward’s “I’m Migrant Festival”. Each film has been made by a Palestinian filmmaker in the last two years and in various ways explores the theme of grief, torment and loss in relation to the ongoing Palestinian struggle. After the screening, we will be joined on stage by actor Motaz Malhees for a Q&A hosted by Sarah Agha about his role in ‘Hamza: Chasing The Ghost Chasing Me’.Films in this Programme
The Deer’s Tooth, Dir: Saif Hammash, 16 mins
A young man from a refugee camp in Palestine embarks on a perilous journey to fulfil his little brother's wish: to throw his milk tooth into the sea.
Hamza: Chasing The Ghost Chasing Me, Dir: Ward Kayyal, 18 mins
Despite recovering from an illness, Hamza refuses to abandon a routine he has kept every day since his release from an Israeli jail; to hunt the lion that the locals don’t believe exists.
Mar Mama, Dir: Majdi El-Omari, 15 mins
Haunted by her mother’s death and recurring attacks by Israeli forces on her city, a young girl becomes obsessed with death. To distract her, her father makes a stop-motion film.
The Key, Dir: Rakan Mayasi, 18 mins
An Israeli family's equilibrium gradually disintegrates as a mysterious sound is heard every evening at the door of their apartment.
Hanging Gardens
Tuesday 18 February 2025, 18:00
Dir: Ahmed Yassin Aldaradji
UK PREMIERE - When a young Iraqi rubbish picker rescues an American sex doll from the Baghdad dumps, he crosses into a perilous red zone, where friends become enemies and nothing is certain in an explosive mix of love, war and madness.
Family
Thursday 20 February 2025, 21:00
Five Short Films
Short films that tell complex situations within a family settings, from death, to betrayal, to choices no parent should be making. Four powerful short films from four very different directors with incredible stories to tellFilms in this Programme
Abdullah and Leilah, Dir: Ashtar Al Khirsan, 19 mins
Haunted by the memories of his childhood in Baghdad, Abdullah has dementia and struggles to communicate with his daughter. He no longer remembers the life he’s lived in London for the last 60 years and the fluent English he’s spoken. Leilah, who speaks only English, needs one last moment of connection with her father before she also fades from his memory and he no longer remembers who she is.
Beneath A Mother’s Feet, Dir: Elias Suhail, 15 mins
A young Moroccan mother, trapped in a mundane existence, confronts her dreams and fears, leading to the agonising decision to forsake all she knows, even her children.
The Last Days with Eliane, Dir: Mehdi Hajri, 30 mins
A portrait of the Director’s maternal grandmother, Eliane, a French woman who lived her entire life in Tunisia. The film speaks about her final moments at home with their family before her passing due to Alzheimer's disease.
Blood Like Water, Dir: Dima Hamdan, 15 mins
Shadi embarks on a secret adventure, and accidentally drags his family into a trap where they only have two choices; either collaborate with the Israeli occupation, or be shamed and humiliated by their own people. Based on true stories
Due To Love, Dir: Elisa Ward, 12 mins
After living in Europe for some time, a young woman visits her Middle-Eastern family for just one dinner. But the past haunts her with memories of her unspoken lesbian relationship. How much longer can she hold it together?
Goodbye Julia
Saturday 22 February 2025, 18:10Dir: Mohamed Kordofani
Wracked by guilt after covering up a murder, Mona - a northern Sudanese retired singer in a tense marriage - tries to make amends by taking in the deceased's southern Sudanese widow, Julia, and her son, Daniel, into her home. Unable to confess her transgressions to Julia, Mona decides to leave the past behind and adjust to a new status quo, unaware that the country's turmoil may find its way into her home and put her face to face with her sins.
Loss
Tuesday 25 February 2025, 18:45
An Evening of Short Films
This screening brings together five directors from Algeria, Tunisia, Syria and Iraq telling stories of trauma as a result of conflict. Five different stories, equally powerful and equally heartbreaking.Films in this Programme
Nya, Dir: Imene Ayadi, 16 mins
Taking place in Algerian suburbia in 1994, the story revolves around Anya - a seven-year-old girl who blissfully experiences her childhood without being aware of the turmoil caused by the civil war engulfing her country. Her sole desire is for her father - a journalist away on an assignment - to come back in time for the Mouloud holiday. Nevertheless, the violence of the real world slowly encroaches upon her daily life, causing her childish innocence to waver.
Ali and His Miracle Sheep, Dir: Maythem Ridah, 27 mins
9-year-old Ali hasn't spoken since his father was beheaded by ISIS. Setting out on a pilgrimage across modern-day Iraq, he plans to sacrifice his favourite sheep Kirmeta at the shrine of an ancient saint. This personal journey becomes a lyrical meditation on hope for miracles amid the suffering of a nation.
A Lullaby Unlike Any Other, Dir: Amani Jaafer, 9 mins
Nour, a young Palestinian woman, wanders in the streets of Stockholm, only to confront the realization that she has lost something irreplaceable.
Foresaken, Dir: Aziz Shennawy, 14 mins
After 30-year-old Meriem decides to treat herself to a vacation, she finds the body of a Sub-Saharan African man drowned in front of her balcony that no one seems to care about. Upon discovering the victim’s identity, Meriem has to make a decision.
Loss, Dir: Rami Al-Kassab, 9 mins
As a group of immigrants crosses the desert border of North Sudan into Egypt, a sudden mother’s cry changes the course of a journey full of loss.
The Phoenix of Gaza
Thursday 27 February 2025, 19:10Dir: Yousef Al-Helou
Selecting material from Yousef’s extensive archive, The Phoenix of Gaza is a personal film. It invites viewers to see Gaza through Yousef's eyes – a place where, despite occupation, blockade and a military onslaught by Israel, Gazans exercise a creativity and resilience, and a beauty that refuses to be extinguished.
Augmented by reflective interviews with Yousef himself and guest commentators, The Phoenix of Gaza provides a tragic glimpse of a society soon to be destroyed, and their perspectives in response. The film demonstrates that Gaza’s residents will not vanish but will rise again.
The Woodman
Friday 28th February, 18.45Dir: Koutaiba al Janabi
A moving, meditative exploration of the migrant experience.
Celebrated for his striking photography, as well as films that span a variety of genres but all drawing on the refugee experience, Al-Janabi’s latest feature is a fascinating slice of magical realism. A wooden figure is the central character in this dark mystery, which was shot in Hungary. An arresting and mysterious cinematic experience it is also an allegory about the universal experience of otherness and the fearful plight displaced peoples so frequently experience.