JUST LIKE US
Eight Queer Stories from the SWANA Region

Unspoken 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 discussion

Films 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.