Kawalis | Cinema, Television & Theater from the Arab World

A Lebanese Love Story: 30 Years of Life & Loss | Director Cyril Aris on "A Sad and Beautiful World"

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

We discuss "A Sad and Beautiful World" with director Cyril Aris who shares the deeply personal and societal inspirations behind the film, spanning three decades of life in Lebanon. Written starting 2019 and recorded amidst ongoing instability in Lebanon, the conversation offers a nuanced look at the role of cinema as a witness to history, the challenges of creating art during intense political events, and the delicate balance between personal intimacy and national tragedy. Aris delves into his creative process, from the technical aspects of sound design to the emotional labor of building chemistry between his leads, while reflecting on the enduring spirit of resilience in the Arab world.

Recorded on March 9, 2026

00:00 Introduction

04:36 The Genesis of the Idea for A Sad and Beautiful World

07:30 Filmmaking Amidst the Political and Economical Events in Beirut

10:08 Cinema as a Witness to History

16:13 Balancing Love Stories With Societal Context

27:31 Narrative Versus Documentary Direction

34:39 The Importance of Sound and Music Design

44:02 Casting and Collaborating With Mounia Akl and Hasan Akil

53:48 Uncredited Artistic and Literary Inspirations

01:00:10 Top Five Lebanese Film Recommendations

Cyril Aris is a Lebanese Director & Screenwriter and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His first fiction feature film, A Sad and Beautiful World (2025), produced by Abbout Productions (Lebanon) & Diversity Hire (USA) premiered at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in the Giornate Degli Autori competition, and it won the Audience Award. It was selected as Lebanon’s candidate for Best International Feature Film in the 98th Oscars. The film also played at BFI London Film Festival, and the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) in Spain, where it won the Audience Award. Other awards include Best Screenplay at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Best Score and Youth Jury Award at Cinémed in France, the Grand Prize at the Rencontres Cinématographiques in Cannes, the Snow Leopard for Best Film at the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Aurora Award for Best Film at Tromsø Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the MedFilm Festival in Rome, and the Audience Award in Ljubljana IFF in Slovenia, among others. His previous feature documentary Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano (2023), received a post-production grant from the Sundance Institute and premiered in the main competition at Karlovy Vary, where it won a jury special mention and won awards in Rotterdam, Valencia, Rome, San Francisco, Marseille, and beyond. His debut feature documentary The Swing (2018) won multiple awards across Europe and the Arab world. His fiction short film The President’s Visit (2017) won Oscar-qualifying awards and played in over 70 festivals. Aris also works as an editor, with credits including Costa Brava, Lebanon (2021), which won the NETPAC award at the Toronto International Festival, the audience award at the BFI London Film Festival, and the FIPRESCI award at El-Gouna.

Connect with Cyril Aris 👉 https://instagram.com/cyrilaris

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
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THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Processing War & Absence in Southern Lebanon | Ahmad Ghossein

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Filmmaker and artist Ahmed Ghossein discusses his intimate, award-winning work, the unique challenges of producing cinema in Lebanon, and the complex relationship between art, war, and memory. Ghossein, whose films like My Father Is Still a Communist and All This Victory (Jidar Sawt) have garnered international acclaim, delves into his upbringing in southern Lebanon, the influence of his family's audio archives, and the profound split between the cultural realities of Beirut and the rest of the country. He also shares his shift toward black comedy and conceptual art to navigate the surreal post-2019 crisis in Lebanon.

0:00 Introduction

2:04 Childhood, Art and Cinema's Role In Growing Up

5:00 Growing Up In Nabatieh and the Cultural Scene Across Lebanon

7:38 The Divided Reality of War in Beirut Versus the South

10:09 The Filmmaker's Role: Capturing Reality vs Stepping Back

12:04 A Theater Education at the Lebanese University

16:23 The Success and Intimacy of My Father Is Still a Communist

17:21 Dealing With Personal Archive, Memory and Ethical Distance

21:03 My Father Is Still a Communist: The Cassettes and the Absence of the Father

28:26 The Relationship With Intimate Success and Being "Naked"

30:57 Success and Responsibility: Shifting Artistic Tools

31:47 The High Stakes of Filmmaking in Lebanon Due to Lack of Funding

33:46 All This Victory (Jidar Sawt): A True War Story

39:39 The Intention Behind Making Films

44:05 Conceptual Art and the Post-2019 Crisis in Lebanon

44:55 Art on Economic Crisis: The "How To Make Your Money Sell" Piece

47:06 Black Comedy and the Surreal Reality of Lebanon

50:39 Post-2019 Obsession With Therapy and Personal Healing

52:21 The Surrealism of Real Lebanese News Stories

53:15 Where To Watch Ahmed Ghossein's Films

Ahmad Ghossein is an artist and a filmmaker whose practice utilizes a number of media, including video art, installation, art in public spaces and film. The starting point of his work stems from the collecting and analyzing of facts, documents, and found footage and materials, which then feed into a body of work that draws on the potentialities of the moving image. His feature film debut All This Victory (2019) won the Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the Venice International Film Critics’s Week. His short film, White Noise, which was produced under the auspices of “Lebanon Factory,” opened the Director’s Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival 2017. His Video work My Father Is Still a Communist (2011) commissioned by Sharjah at foundation was awarded best short film in Tribeca Doha Film Festival 2011 and was selected by MoMa and Berlinale and several festivals. His other short The Fourth Stage opened the Forum Expanded of the Berlinale Film Festival, Berlinale 2016. He was the co-artistic director of Beirut Art Center (2020-2021) and his work has been exhibited in countless museums and galleries around the world.

Connect with Ahmad Ghossein 👉 https://instagram.com/ahmadghossein

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Arab Film Criticism & the Film Festival Economy | With Renowned Critic Ahmed Shawky

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 23 May 2025 15:00:00 +0000

We're joined by film critic and president of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), Ahmed Shawky, and delve into the role of film critics in the Arab world. We talk about Shawky's personal journey into critiquing films and the evolution of Arab cinema. Shawky shares insights on iconic Egyptian filmmakers, the impact of global cinema, and his experiences at various film festivals. We touch on the challenges of censorship and the future of the Arab film industry.

00:00 Introduction
00:37 Defining the Role of a Film Critic
02:00 Early Influences and Passion for Cinema
03:35 The Impact of the Internet on Film Criticism
08:42 Starting a Blog and His First Writing Job
11:46 Golden Age of Arab Cinema
15:55 Challenges of Film Criticism in the Arab World
19:57 The Life of a Modern Film Critic
25:14 Optimism and Challenges in Arab Cinema
29:38 The Role of Film Festivals
31:27 The Growth of Filmmakers on the Global Scene
32:25 Advice for Arab Film Festivals
34:19 Successful Film Festival Models
39:47 The Role of Saudi Arabia in the Arab Film Industry
48:14 Challenges and Optimism in Censorship
52:22 Rapid Fire Questions

Ahmed Shawky is a Tanta-born Egyptian film critic, programmer, and president of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Egyptian film critics association (EFCA). He publishes weekly articles about cinema and entertainment industry, mainly in three major Arabic websites: Filfan.com, Fasllah.com, and Schehrezade.com. He has published eight books Egyptian cinema, and worked for many festivals like El Gouna, Cairo, and Malmo. In 2010, he presented his first film, A Life's Box, then directed The Green Tape, and A Guinea Pig, before making his first documentary, Once Upon a Place.

Connect with Shawky 👉 https://www.instagram.com/shawforlife

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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The Untold Stories of Palestine | Farah Nabulsi, Director of The Teacher & The Present

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Kawalis, we welcome Farah Nabulsi, the acclaimed director and writer behind films like "The Teacher" and the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated "The Present." Nabulsi shares her powerful journey from her career in finance to filmmaking, highlighting her profound connection to Palestine and the human stories that inspire her work. The conversation delves deep into the reality of life under occupation, unpacking the emotional and political complexities. Nabulsi discusses her creative process, the impact of her films, and the urgent need for empathy and awareness. This episode is a compelling exploration of humanity amid the ongoing atrocities on Palestinians.

00:00 Introduction: Understanding the Palestinian Struggle
01:11 The Journey of Making a Film About Palestine
03:25 A Personal Connection to Palestine
03:53 Witnessing the Reality on the Ground
06:59 The Emotional Impact of Injustice
09:53 From Banking to Filmmaking
13:41 The Power of Storytelling
26:04 Creating "Today They Took My Son"
32:23 The Impact of Short Films
34:26 Inspiration Behind "The Present"
36:52 The Journey of a Filmmaker
37:19 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
38:12 The Birth of a Screenplay
38:43 Taking the Director's Seat
40:42 Reflecting on the Film's Impact
41:22 Navigating Cultural and Personal Challenges
42:31 Authenticity and Audience Reception
47:28 Nabulsi's Latest Film "The Teacher"
47:44 Casting and Collaboration
59:59 Exploring Human Dynamics
01:04:06 The Role of International Presence
01:06:30 Challenges in Distribution and Reception
01:11:59 Final Thoughts and Release Information

Farah Nabulsi is a Palestinian-British, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker and human rights advocate. Born, raised and educated in London, Farah began her career as an institutional equity stockbroker. She ended up with a CFA designation at JP Morgan Chase before moving on to build a children-focused business that she ran for 10 years. In 2015, she started working in the film industry and founded Native Liberty Productions, through which she writes, produces and directs fiction films, exploring topics that matter to her. She created a digital resource (oceansofinjustice.com) to deconstruct the Israeli military occupation of Palestine in a way never done before.

Connect with Nabulsi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/farah.nabulsi/

"The Teacher" will have its US premier on April 11 in NYC and its nation-wide premier on April 18.

Watch "Today They Took My Son" 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDZy1VTfL60

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Firat Oruc | Petro-Documentaries & Colonial Anxiety Over Gulf Cinema

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000

In this last episode in 3 Kawalis podcast special zooming in on cinema in the Gulf, Alia Younis hosts associate professor of Culture and Politics at Georgetown Qatar, Firat Oruc, to explore the history of cinema in the Arab Gulf region. Firat delves into the colonial emergence of cinema in the 1930s, highlighting the peculiar British regulations and colonial anxieties tied to film exposure. The discussion covers the significant role of oil companies in establishing cinemas, producing petro-documentaries aimed at showcasing their version of development and modernization. Firat shares his journey of discovering archival documents that shed light on the historical and contemporary aspects of Gulf cinema. Join us as we uncover how cinema has been a powerful force in shaping cultural and political narratives in the Gulf.

00:00 Introduction
01:58 The Colonial Era of Gulf Cinema
03:41 Archival Discoveries and Colonial Anxieties
04:26 Colonial Anxiety around Cinema Arrival
11:23 Censorship and the Introduction of Cinema
23:46 The Role of Oil Companies in Gulf Cinema
28:51 Petro-Documentaries and Nation Building
40:00 The Influence of Television and Radio
47:30 Personal Journey into Gulf Cinema History
49:02 Future Research Directions

Firat Oruc is an associate professor of Culture and Theory at Georgetown University and is currently working on two book projects: one on world literature and the making of modern Turkey, and the other on the cultural and political history of film in the Arabian Peninsula. He is the editor of Sites of Pluralism: Community Politics in the Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2019) and co-editor of Indian Ocean Literary Circularities (Duke University Press, 2022). He is also the author of journal articles that have appeared in Comparative Literature, Film History, HAWWA: Journal of Women of the Middle East and the Islamic World, Journal of World Literature, Criticism, Postcolonial Text, and English Language Notes. At GU-Q, he is co-lead of the Energy Humanities Research Initiative at the Center for International and Regional Studies and Director of the Certificate in Media and Politics program. He is the recipient of research grants from the Qatar National Research Fund, the Doyle Engaging Difference Program, and the Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Summer Institute. He has served as a visiting assistant professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Comparative Literary Studies program at Northwestern University. Professor Oruc received his Ph.D. in literature from Duke University.

Hosted by Alia Yunis 👉 https://www.instagram.com/alia__yunis/

Alia Yunis is a writer, journalist and filmmaker. She is also a visiting associate professor of film and heritage studies at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

#GulfCinema #ArabFilms #afikraKawalis #FiratOruc #AliaYunis #Colonialism

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How Kerala Shaped Gulf Media | Bindu Menon

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 09:00:00 +0000

What is the Gulf-Kerala connection? This episode of Kawalis is a deep dive into migration, media, and cultural exchange. Filmmaker Alia Yunis hosts associate professor at Azim Premji University, Bindu Menon, as part of a three-episode special on cinema in the Arab Gulf. They navigate the intricate ties between Kerala and the Gulf, delving into the historical and cultural connections shaped by migration and the oil economy of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). From early media exchanges to contemporary creative industries, we discover how migration has influenced media production, consumption, and everyday life from the United Arab Emirates to Qatar. Special focus includes the audio cassette culture, the iconic dhow, and the evolution of Malayalam cinema in the Gulf – highlighting some key players and contributors. Learn how these elements jointly contribute to a shared cultural heritage and media modernity between India and the Gulf region.

00:00 Introduction: Kerala's Influence on the Gulf
01:07 Meet Bindu Menon
02:30 Historical Ties: Kerala and the Gulf
07:40 Migration and Media: the 70s to the 90s
12:47 The Audio Cassette Revolution
25:59 Video Cassettes and Film Culture
43:54 The Dhow: A Symbol of Migration
52:02 Modern Malayalam Cinema and the Gulf
59:09 Conclusion and Reflections

(Thumbnail image by https://www.instagram.com/vishpash/)

Bindu Menon is Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the School of Arts & Sciences, Azim Premji University, Bangalore. Her research work explores relations between media technologies, publics and politics in India. She is completing her book on the history of cinema and sensory publics in early 20th century South India. Her current research project examines the movement of media objects and forms along the path of migration between Kerala and the Gulf Council Countries with a particular focus on audio technologies, musical genres of love and belonging and devotional and spiritual genres. Through mapping the ark of these sonic registers, she tries to explore questions that are relevant to the formation of political communities. Her research papers on history of cinema, amateur video movements and rap music videos have been published in peer reviewed journals such Biography, Bioscope and the Journal of Creative Communications. She has served as Assistant Professor at the University of Delhi and held post-doctoral positions at International Institute of Asian Studies at Leiden, Indian Institute of Advanced Studies at Shimla and the Centre for Study in Religion and Society, University of Victoria, Canada.

Connect with Bindu 👉 https://in.linkedin.com/in/bindu-menon-a785842a?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

Hosted by Alia 👉 https://www.instagram.com/alia__yunis/

Alia Yunis is a writer, journalist and filmmaker. She is also a visiting associate professor of film and heritage studies at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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Reorienting the Middle East: Film and Digital Media Where the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean Meet | Alia Yunis

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 1 Nov 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Discover cinema from the Gulf from its beginnings to the present day. Filmmaker Alia Yunis draws on her rich knowledge of the Arab Gulf’s cinema to give us a full picture of the scene's early days, its current state and what is anticipated for its future. Rejecting the widely held belief that "Arabic film comes from Egypt," Alia paints a picture of a rich regional scene of local storytelling. She constructs the Gulf as a fluid space with shared cultures, invites us to reconsider how we think about the materiality of film and shares her opinions on what comes next for cinema in the digital age. We get a sense of how cinema, film and its audiences are changing in the Gulf and what kinds of stories those audiences are hungry for. Alia also addresses a crucial question about the role of government sponsorship and funding in the kinds of cultural production we see coming out of the region. Finally, putting on a historical lens, we briefly tap into the origins of Gulf cinema during the colonial occupation and by oil companies.

This episode is one in a three-part series exploring cinema from the Gulf. Stay tuned for the two upcoming episodes in this sub-series of Kawalis!

Alia Yunis is a writer, journalist and filmmaker. She is also a visiting associate professor of film and heritage studies at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi.

Connect with Alia 👉 https://www.instagram.com/alia__yunis/

Reorienting the Middle East: Film and Digital Media Where the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean Meet, edited by Dale Hudson and Alia Yunis with contributions from a number of academics. Available via Indiana University Press 👉 https://iupress.org/9780253067579/reorienting-the-middle-east/

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Ely Dagher | On Waves '98 & The Sea Ahead

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 20 May 2024 08:00:00 +0000

Ely Dagher is a Lebanese director, screenwriter and artist known for his Palme D'Or awarded short film Waves '98 and his first feature film The Sea Ahead which had its premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival.

Connect with Ely 👉 https://www.instagram.com/elydagher/

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA

afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

#LebaneseFilm #ArabFilm #ArabicFilm #ArabCinema #Beirut

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A Full Week Celebrating Sudanese Cinema in Nairobi | Aflam Sudan

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Aflam Sudan's inaugural edition is being held in Nairobi between April 12th and 19th (2024). The co-founders of the festival, Rafa Renas and Brahim "Snoopy" Ahmad, join us on Kawalis to talk about the power of cinema – portraying Sudan through an artist lens that goes beyond images of war and conflict – and give us a brief history of Sudanese cinema. Tapping into a growing global interest in Sudanese film, Rafa and Brahim point to their favorite "classics" from the 70s and the films they're most excited about right now — Beats of Antonov, Talking About Trees and You Will Die at Twenty to name just a few.

Brahim ”Snoopy” Ahmad is a director and producer from Khartoum, Sudan. He is the founder of Deep Visions Productions. His short documentary "Journey to Kenya" has been selected for numerous international film festivals, including AMAA, FESPACO, African Film Festival, and Zanzibar Film Festival. It won the Special Jury Award at the Sudan Independent Film Festival 2020 SIFF 6th edition and the audience choice award at Zanzibar international film festival.

Rafa Renas is a Sudanese producer based in Khartoum. She produces cross-media campaigns promoting a civil society, integration, and gender issues. She also produces for international media outlets.

Brahim Ahmad Snoopy and Rafa Renas are co-founders of Aflam Sudan: A week long celebration of Sudanese cinema, the first edition of which is being hosted at Unseen Nairobi from April 12-19, 2024. There will be screenings of a wide variety of Sudanese films including seven feature films and a selection of shorts, as well as live conversations with some of the directors.

Discover more about Aflam Sudan 👉 https://www.unseen-nairobi.com/sudanfestival24#:~:text=Nairobi&text=This%20first%20edition%20of%20Aflam,live%20conversation%20with%20the%20directors.

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

FOLLOW & RATE THE AFIKRA PODCAST:

» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109

» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U

» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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The Making of Aida Returns | Carol Mansour

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000

If you're looking for a film to watch, Carol shared her favorite Palestinian film recommendations with us 👉https://www.afikra.com/daftarjournal/carol-mansour-film-recommendations

Carol Mansour is an independent documentary filmmaker. She founded Forward Film Production in 2000 in Beirut, Lebanon. With over 25 years in documentary production, Mansour achieved international recognition and honor for her films, with over 50 film festival screenings and official selections worldwide. Her other well-known work includes "Stitching Palestine" and “We Cannot Go There Now, My Dear”.

Aida Returnsis a poignant, sometimes sad, sometimes painful, sometimes humorous, often absurd story of a multiple journey: the journey of loss as the director’s mother Aida struggled with losing herself to Alzheimer’s disease, but finding solace in her repeated “returning” to the Yafa and Palestine of her youth; the journey of the loss of a parent; and the ultimate return journey to Yafa where Aida would finally find rest and be herself once more.

Connect with Carol 👉https://www.instagram.com/mansourcarol/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

Hosted by: Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official

🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Decolonizing & Decentering Theater in the Arab World | Laila Soliman

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Thu, 8 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000

A captivating conversation with theater director and playwright Laila Soliman about theater, cultural discourse and decolonization across the Arab world. Using three of her major works – Zigzag, La Grande Maison and her first opera Woman at Point Zero – as reference, we discuss western-centric art education, dismantle the concept of “alternative narratives”, and collective memory. We think about theater as a medium, what it takes to bring about a cultural “golden age”, and where and how is the best place to pass on knowledge.

Laila Soliman is an independent Egyptian theater director and playwright who lives and works in Cairo. Born in Cairo, she gained a degree in theater and Arabic literature from the American University in Cairo and a MA at Dasarts in Amsterdam.

Her performances have been shown across the Arab world, India, South Africa and Europe. Her first opera production – Woman at Point 0 – based on Nawal el Saadawi’s novel by the same name premiered in 2022.

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK

The afikra Podcast is our flagship series featuring experts from academia, art, media and beyond who are helping document and/or shape the histories and cultures of the Arab world through their ‎work. Our hope is that by having the guest share their expertise and story, the community walks away with a new ‎found curiosity and maybe some good recommendations about new nerdy rabbit holes to dive into head first. ‎

Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl5xaTkBDrUKLCulvoCE8ubX

ABOUT AFIKRA

📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters

🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts

⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership

🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_

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Goodbye Julia: A Beautifully Nuanced Film About Sudanese Society | Mohamed Kordofani

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Goodbye Julia — which played in Cannes’ section Un Certain Regard and won the Freedom Prize — is a poignant reflection on Sudanese society. The film is Kordofani's first feature. He sat down with us to discuss his journey from aviation engineer to film director and screenwriter, achieving the critical balance between "good" and "bad" while portraying humanity on screen, and how it felt to be acknowledged at the Cannes Film Festival.

We asked him about his decision to set the film between 2005 and 2011 — a significant moment in Sudan’s recent history — and who he made the film for: international viewers curious about Sudan or Sudanese cinema-goers reflecting on themselves. Finally, we untangle some of the main social critiques and themes that the film seeks to confront — in particular, racism between Northern and Southern Sudanese people.

Mohamed Kordofani is a Sudanese film director and screenwriter. He started out as an aviation engineer, before changing careers to pursue his passion for film. His first feature film, Goodbye Julia, gained international recognition and won the Freedom Prize at Cannes Film Festival. Since then, it has also been screened internationally and was selected by the Sudanese National Committee operating in exile in the category of Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK Kawalis is afikra’s Movie Night podcast that dives into all types of production from stage to the small or big screen, zooming in on the work of professionals from the field. This interview series is an opportunity to ask actors, directors, scriptwriters and cinematographers questions about the industry, the writing and production processes, the behind the scenes and genres behind some of the Arab world’s best films, TV series, plays and performances, and to discover some of the best work out there from experts in the field. Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39iF2VuxlZ0&list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A

ABOUT AFIKRA afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.

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The Nakba on Netflix: Through the Eyes of a 14-year old Palestinian Girl | Darin Sallam

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Farha – the internationally acclaimed film that brought the Nakba to screens around the world – depicts the heartwrenching events of 1948 through the eyes of a 14-year old girl. In her debut film, director Darin Salam creates an intense, feminine story that captures the emotions and human experience of the Nakba in a raw yet approachable way.

In this special podcast episode, Darin explains how the story of Farha found her, offers context for viewers who aren’t familiar with events around the Nakba, and breaks down the logistical elements of casting, shooting and producing the film. She talks about how she positions Farha as a meaningful contribution to a wider conversation that uses art and film as a means to preserve this history for generations to come.

Finally, Darin speaks to the fear and initial reluctance she faced from the film industry as well as the challenges she overcame to secure funding that respected the integrity of the story she was trying to make.

This episode was recorded on November 9 2023 at 11am Palestine time.

***** ABOUT THIS SERIES *****

Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in all types of production for the small and big screen to zoom into the work of professionals from the field – from actors and directors to scriptwriters and cinematographers. This interview series is an opportunity to ask questions about the plot, the behind the scenes, themes and information about a film or TV series and discover some of the best work from experts in the field who are from the Arab world.‎

Explore all Movie Night episodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39iF2VuxlZ0&list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A

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Les Chenilles: Lebanese Silk and Exploitation | Michelle Keserwany

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 3 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Michelle Keserwany joined us on Movie Night to talk about her and her sister Noel’s short film Les Chenilles. We dive into the 3.5 day filmmaking process, the inspiration behind it and the colonial impact of the silk industry. Michelle also shares her journey into film, why she doesn’t completely consider herself a musician, and her top films of note. And of course, we listen to her and Noel’s viral songs Jagal El Usel and Men3id w Men3id.

Michelle Keserwany is a Lebanese singer, musician and scriptwriter. She’s well known for the songs that she composes and performs alongside her sister Noel. Their lyrics are notable for their incisive satire and criticism of the state of Lebanese society.

Les Chenilles: Short Film:
‘Les Chenilles’ is a short film that follows two women, Asma and Sarah, from the Levant working at the same restaurant in Lyon, France. The film unpicks the colonial legacy of the Silk Road which links both Asma and Sarah to their homeland, exploring themes of exploitation, female solidarity, friendship, and the myriad experiences of forced migration. The inspiration of this story was triggered by an article by Fawwaz Traboulsi called “ Un Amour de Soie” (Beirut-Express - 1996) that explores the relationship between women from Mount Lebanon and foreign silk factories in the 19th century.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

About Movie Night:

Movie Night is an interview series that calls for afikra community members who are interested in movies and films to spend time watching along with the entire community. Movies will be announced on afikra’s watching list. This interview series will host filmmakers and actors who are featured in the announced movie. Community members will be asked to watch the film on online streaming platforms or online film festivals before the series and join the conversation with the creators of the film. Movie Night is an opportunity for members to ask questions about the plot, behind the scenes, themes, and information about the movie.Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp

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afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity.
Read more about us on afikra.com

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Philippe Aractingi | Directing Under the Bombs & Bosta

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Award-winning director Philippe Aractingi joined us on set for this special episode of Movie Night. We talked about his journey into filmmaking, why he considers himself a ‘storyteller’, and why he shifts between genres: musical comedies to war films, and most recently into theatre.

We also reflect on the notable absence of an ‘Arab Cinema Scene’ or ‘Industry’, the Orientalist gaze in cinema, and the role of film as a form of self-expression and in the search for identity. Finally, Philippe talks about his latest venture into theatre and stage performance with his debut play ‘Sar Wa2t El Hake’ which opens at the Monnot Theatre on the 15th June.

Philippe Aractingi is an award-winning Franco-Lebanese film-director and producer. His two most well-known films are ‘Bosta’ and ‘Under the Bombs’, both of which were the only Lebanese film entries in the 2006 and 2008 Oscar ceremonies, respectively.

His other works, including ‘Heritages’, ‘Listen’, and ‘On The Footsteps of Christ’, are also widely-acclaimed. And he has received awards at international festivals including Venice, Dubai, and Sundance. Philippe is also the co-founder of the Lebanese Cinema Foundation (FLC) and vice-chairman of the Beirut Screen Institute Committee. Philippe was appointed Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2018.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Maysoon Pachachi | Everyday Stories from Post-War Baghdad

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Maysoon Pachachi talks about her film "Our River... Our Sky," an Arabic language narrative feature film. The film is a web of intersecting stories that describes a collective drama happening in this time and place... in 2006 Baghdad.

Maysoon Pachachi is a London-based filmmaker of Iraqi origin. As a director, she largely works through her production company, Oxymoron Films (www.oxymoronfilms.com). Her documentary films include Iraqi Women — Voices from Exile, Bitter Water about four generations of Palestinian refugees in a camp in Beirut; Return to the Land of Wonders about her return to Iraq after an exile of over 30 years; Iranian Journey and Our Feelings Took the Pictures; and Open Shutters Iraq about a participatory photography project with 12 Iraqi women. She has taught filmmaking and she is a founding member of ACT TOGETHER: Women’s Action for Iraq (www.acttogether.org). In 2004, with London-based Iraqi filmmaker, Kasim Abid, she set up the Independent Film & Television College (www.iftvc.org), a free-of-charge film-training center in Baghdad.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Beirut Street Culture on Film | Amin Dora

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Mon, 6 Mar 2023 08:47:47 +0000

From Shankaboot to Brando Al Sharek, we talk with innovative Emmy-winning filmmaker Amin Dora about cinema, advertising, working with George Khabbaz, Shankaboot, Beirut, and where we are today in TV and Film in Lebanon.⁠

Amin Dora is an Emmy-Winning Film Director and Visual Artist, born and raised in Zahle, Lebanon. Dora won "International Emmy Award" in 2011 for Shankaboot, the world's first Arabic Web Drama series he directed, and in which he explored innovative ways of portraying real life in Beirut by depicting tough issues and tackling taboo subjects that mainstream media wouldn't touch, Shankaboot successfully engaged young audiences across the region during the Arab Spring, inspiring discussions across social media networks and in the press and engaged young audiences across the region

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Horror in Arab Film | Rami Yasin

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 27 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Rami Yasin talked about his movie "Bloodline", “the first Arab vampire film.”

Rami Yasin is a filmmaker and the founder of Breakout Films in Dubai. He was introduced to the world of cinema by his father who worked in film and television. After directing and producing television commercials for almost a decade, Rami seized an opportunity to work as a casting director and first assistant director in ‘Syriana’ starring Matt Damon and George Clooney.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Life with HIV in Egypt | Amr Salama

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:14:16 +0000

Amr Salama talked about his movie "Asmaa" that tells the story of a woman who suffers from AIDS decides not to surrender to the fatal disease.

Amr Salama is an International Award Winning Film Director, Writer and Producer. Directed Feature Films, Hit TV and Platform Shows, TV commercials, Music Videos and Feature Documentaries.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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Route 10: a Thriller Set in the Saudi Arabian Desert | Omar Naim

mikey@afikra.com (afikra) — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 18:01:44 +0000

Omar Naim spoke to us about his new film, "Route 10," which tells the story of two siblings who must make a journey through the desert in order to attend their father's wedding but underestimate the many hazards of the desert road, which includes an angry stranger whose terrifying pursuit has the brother and sister driving for their lives.

Omar Naim is a Lebanese-born director, writer, and documentarian. His newest film is the Netflix thriller Route 10 (2022), a thriller set in the Saudi Arabian desert starring Fatima Al Banawi and Baraa Alem. Naim's feature debut was the science-fiction thriller The Final Cut (2004), starring Oscar winners Robin Williams and Mira Sorvino. The film premiered in competition at the Berlin Film Festival, and won Naim the Best Screenplay prize at the Deauville Film Festival that same year. In 2020 he released Becoming starring Toby Kebbel, Penelope Mitchell and Jason Patric, ranked as one of the best horror films of 2020 by thrillist.com. His new documentary Two Cities (2021), about the Al Madina Theatre in Beirut struggling to survive against all odds, has recently been broadcast on BBC Arabic and LBC Television. As a writer, Naim has penned screenplays for Oscar-winning producers, including Dan Jinks & Bruce Cohen (American Beauty) and Ed Saxon (Silence of the Lambs). Naim studied cinema at Emerson College in Boston, graduating with a BFA in 1999. His thesis film, Grand Theatre: A Tale of Beirut (1999), was a Student Academy Award documentary finalist and played at numerous festivals around the country.

Created & hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra

Edited by: Ramzi Ramman

Theme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/

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