Trapped in “the world’s largest open-air prison” and ruled by war, the new generation is drawn to the beaches. Sick of occupation and political gridlock, they find their own personal freedom in the waves of the Mediterranean. They are the surfers of Gaza.
In modern day Marrakech, Noha, Randa, Soukaina, and Hlima live a life of ‘love for sale’. They’re objects of desire and flashes of flesh. In the heat of the night money flows freely, to the rhythms of pleasures and humiliations suffered. But united in their womanhood, they’re queens of their kingdom. Full of light, dignity and joy, they manage to keep their spirits and dreams alive. They’re loved, they’re unloved, they’re much too loved...
A group of ex-political prisoners gather in an attempt to reconstruct the interrogation center at Almascobia prison. All of them were detained there. As during their detention a black hood was covering their faces none of them knows for sure the real structure of the center. The attempt of rebuilding the center to re-perform an actual story was a unique journey to them in which they had to face their memories, deep emotions and fears.
16 year-old Habib dreams of becoming a veterinarian. He has not yet been able to study for his hoped-for profession, but he has bought a sheep named El Bouq. His hope? Training the animal to become a fighting champion. Meanwhile, 42-year-old Samir no longer has any dreams, other than to make enough money by selling sheep that he can survive the hardships of daily life. With the Eid celebration coming closer, Samir has a unique opportunity to maximise his profits, as everyone in the country will be buying sheep for slaughter. But for Habib, it’s another story…
Trapped inside her house in a city under siege, Oum Yazan, a mother of three, turned her flat into a safe harbor for her family and neighbors, trying to protect them from the war outside. When bombs threaten to destroy the building, snipers turn the courtyards into deadly zones, and burglars break in to claim their dreadful bounties, the goal to maintain the thin balance of routine inside the walls becomes a matter of life and death.
Jowan Safadi, a Palestinian born in Israel, is a famous musician and a free spirit. He has gathered a hugh fanbase in the Arab world, along with his band Fish Samak, for songs that deal with political, social, emotional and philosophical issues. Jowan courted controversy on several occasions because he is not afraid to speak his mind or tackle taboos. He was investigated by Israeli police for “inciting terrorism”, and was arrested and made to spend a night in prison during his last tour in Jordan. But now his 15-year old son, Don, has moved in with him, and Jowan is facing a whole new challenge. On the one hand, he wants to continue fighting for his ideals and music. But at the same time, he has to act as a responsible parent create a suitable environment for his son.
The events of Sheikh Jackson date back to Thursday, June 25th, 2009 and the death of Michael Jackson who shook the world, especially one of the senators whom Jackson had nicknamed in his school years. But what links Sheikh and Imam to the American mythology? And the most important question is, will he be able to practice his life naturally after that, or will his memories and relationships be restored to the most important question in his soul? Is he a Sheikh or Jackson or the two in the heart of one man?
After five years of war, the remaining citizens of Aleppo are still under siege. Help comes from the White Helmets, the civilian corps who act as emergency services to people caught up in bombing and attacks. ‘Last Men In Aleppo’ explores the daily lives of these brave souls, surrounded by death and destruction and their struggle to keep the streets safe. This heartrending, uplifting document of human spirit, resilience and courage won Last Men In Aleppo the Grand Jury Prize (World Cinema – Documentary) at Sundance.
Abu Shadi, 65, is a divorced father and a school teacher living in Nazareth. After his daughter’s wedding in one month he will be living alone. Shadi, his architect son, arrives from Rome after years abroad to help his father in hand delivering the wedding invitations to each guest, as per local Palestinian custom. As the estranged pair spend the day together, the tense details of their relationship come to a head challenging their fragile and very different lives. Winner of Best Film at Mar Del Plata (Argentina), Dubai, Amiens, Kerala and nine other international awards, Wajib was Palestine’s 2018 Oscar Entry and features Mohammad Bakri and Saleh Bakri.
