Kawalis | Cinema, Television & Theater from the Arab World

Arabs are a remarkably theatrical population, yet many remain unaware of the profound importance and relevance that theater holds in daily life. Scholar and performer Dr. Samer Al-Saber discusses his award-winning book, A Movement's Promise, which charts the history of contemporary Palestinian theater. The conversation explores how a small, tenacious community of artists used storytelling and comedy as forms of resistance under occupation while navigating pervasive institutional censorship. From the legendary tours of Al-Hakawati Theatre to the unique role of commercial theater in shaping regional consciousness, this episode highlights a world-class cultural heritage that continues to endure. 00:00 Introduction 01:15 First Memories of the Live Stage 03:20 The Intertwined Destinies of Theater and Media 05:46 Dualities of Performance 08:25 The Mechanics of Exportation & the VHS Era 11:59 The Roots of Social Commentary 15:19 Mapping a Movement: Theater as Liberation 19:55 The Walled-Off Era & Global Ambassadors 23:55 Characters Every Arab Should Know 28:05 Ideologies, Regimes, & the Arab Body Politic 31:47 Theater as a Leading Indicator 35:36 Creating Art Under Pressure 42:03 Tracing the Legal Frameworks of Pervasive Control 45:04 The Precarious State of Spaces & Cultural Institutions Samer Al-Saber is a critical scholar, historian, director, and playwright at Williams College, where he is Associate Professor of Theatre. He comes to Williams after serving for over a decade at the Department of Theater and Performance Studies at Stanford University, the School of Theater at Florida State University, and the Theater Department at Davidson College. He received the Walter J Gores Award at Stanford and the Undergraduate Teaching Award at Florida State University, the most prestigious teaching awards at these institutions. His monograph A Movement's Promise: The Making of Contemporary Palestinian Theater (Stanford University Press, 2025) is the first comprehensive history of the Palestinian Theater Movement. He is co-editor of the anthology Stories Under Occupation and Other Plays from Palestine (Seagull Press/University of Chicago Press), editor of To The Good People of Gaza (Bloomsbury Press), and co-editor of Arab, Performance, and Politics (Routledge, 2024). Directing credits include Returning to Haifa (Golden Thread Productions, 2025), Betty Shamieh's As Soon As Impossible, Hasan Abdelrazzak's The Prophet, and others. He holds a PhD in Theatre History and Criticism from the University of Washington (2013). Connect with Samer Al-Saber 👉 https://instagram.com/samer.al.saber Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rooted in a profound sense of cultural duty, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-recognized filmmaker and poet Hind Shoufani unpacks a lifetime of artistic resistance and stateless identity. This conversation navigates the complexities of Palestinian liberation and the enduring legacy of the PLO through the poignant lens of her activist family. From the relentless grit behind her feature documentary, Trip Along Exodus, to her fifteen-year multimedia endeavor tracking Arab women poets in, The Poeticians, the discussion explores voices that boldly challenge both Western and Arab expectations. The episode culminates with an inside look into her upcoming 2027 release, They Planted Strange Trees,, which serves as a classical love letter to the resilience of indigenous Palestinian Christians reclaiming their ancestral land. 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Growing Up Secular & Socialist in the Arab World 06:03 Independent Paths & the Complexity of Belonging 09:44 Documenting Untold Realities 16:01 The Grit of Filmmaking a Father's Legacy 24:59 Subverting Expectations with The Poetitions Project 31:40 Giving Voice to Erotica, Grief & Diaspora During Conflict 37:18 A Poet's Impulse & Channeling Words in Dark Times 38:15 Reclaiming the Galilee: A Love Letter to Ancestral Roots 43:35 Structural Themes of Resilience and Looking Toward 2027 Hind Shoufani is a Palestinian filmmaker and writer living in New York. A Fulbright scholar and MFA graduate in Filmmaking from NYU, she was a writer in residence at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa in 2011. Hind was also recently awarded a 2026 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in NonFiction Literature. Her film work has earned international recognition, including a BAFTA and an Academy Award nomination for the short film The Present. She has directed, produced, and edited dozens of documentaries and experimental films over her 28-year career. Hind's feature documentary Trip Along Exodus screened in more than 40 cities, and she produced the Palestinian film Heavy Metal, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her poetry and prose have appeared in numerous international publications, and for nearly two decades she has curated Poeticians, a collective of poets and musicians performing in Beirut, Dubai, and Brooklyn. Dark Star Requiem is her first full poetry collection published in the United States with Diode Editions. She is currently working on her second Palestinian feature film "They Planted Strange Trees. Connect with Hind Shoufani 👉 https://www.instagram.com/gonewiththehind/ FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hania Mroue, founding director of Metropolis Cinema, breaks down the wild journey of building a cultural sanctuary in the heart of Beirut. From opening its doors one day before a war to being evicted with only 48 hours' notice, this is a story of grit and pure love for the big screen. We dive into the urgent mission of preserving Lebanon’s decaying film memory and why independent cinema is actually for everyone, not just the elite. It’s a raw look at how art survives in an unstable world, and why you should definitely skip the sofa for a real theater seat. 00:00 Introduction 02:11 Early Aspirations for a National Narrative 04:14 Establishing the First Regional Arab Film Festival 06:52 Testing the Waters of Public Interest 08:33 A Debut Marked by Regional Instability 10:50 Scaling Up the Vision 13:58 Navigating Sudden Displacement of the Cinema 16:54 The Broader Regional Film Network 24:50 The Fate of Physical Archives 27:35 The Weight of Global Platforms and Political Statements 33:44 Shifting Economic Realities and Streaming Impact 45:34 Challenging the Notion of Exclusive Spaces 51:04 The Irreplaceable Nature of the Theater Hania Mroue is the founder and director of Metropolis Cinema, which opened in 2006 and is Lebanon’s only art house movie theater. In 2010, she launched MC Distribution, a company dedicated to selling and distributing Arab and international independent titles in the MENA region. She is a founding member of Aflamuna (formerly Beirut DC), created in 1998 to promote and support independent Arab films. For 10 years she has been the managing director of the Arab film festival Ayam Beirut al Cinema’iya. She was appointed as chief Arab programmer at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (2010-2012). She has served as jury member for several film festivals around the world, including for Cannes’ Critics Week, the Berlinale, Cinema Du Réel and others. Most recently, she was a consultant for Arab film programming and industry events at the Marrakesh International Film Festival from 2020 to 2023. Connect with Hania Mroue 👉 https://instagram.com/mrouehania FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Moving to Chad as a child in the late 1990s, filmmaker and scholar Bentley Brown grew up speaking Chadian Arabic. He discusses how his unique upbringing shaped his perspective on identity and storytelling and explores the complexities of being a chameleon between cultures. Using film and comedy to bridge gaps in understanding and challenge misconceptions about the Sahel region, he tells us about his early films screened at international festivals and his presence on social media to his recent work documenting the Sudanese Revolution and water crises in Chad, highlighting the power of art to preserve history and navigate the in-between spaces of global identity. 0:00 An Identity Formed in the Sahel 06:05 The Ethics of the Storyteller 12:07 Comparative Dialectology and Global Connections 22:56 Comedy as a Tool for Cultural Critique 29:33 Filming the Sudanese Revolution from Afar 40:08 Water, Trauma, and the Chadian Landscape 55:03 Chadian Music and the Synthesizer Revolution Bentley Brown is a filmmaker and scholar whose work revolves around disidentification, language, and artistic translations of science. A Berlinale Talent, Durban Talent, and Africa Movie Academy Awards nominee, Brown’s past films include Behind the Sun (Hot Docs 2023), First Feature (International Film Festival Rotterdam 2019), and Oustaz (Berlinale 2016). Brown holds a PhD in Emergent Technologies and Media Arts Practices from the University of Colorado Boulder and has served as an Assistant Professor at the American University of Sharjah since 2023. Connect with Bentley Brown 👉 https://instagram.com/waldbrown Hosted by Mikey Muhanna Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Filmmaker Lana Daher explores Beirut’s multifaceted soul through an archive-based journey centered on the haunting rhythms of the Bendali family’s 1978 track "Do You Love Me". This cinematic investigation navigates the intoxicating yet toxic duality of a city defined by generational cycles of trauma and creation.This massive undertaking involved over 4,000 hours of research into Lebanese independent cinema and journalistic archives to piece together a non-linear history of Lebanon. The investigation delves into why the Lebanese Civil War remains absent from national textbooks, leaving generations to uncover their history through the eyes of artists and oral testimonies. Lana Daher deliberately challenges Western media tropes of Beirut, focusing on the nuanced experiences of civil society through a meticulous blend of sound and image. The film offers potential for collective release by confronting trauma to move beyond it, standing as a celebration of the artists who documented and preserved Lebanese life when institutions failed to do so. 0:00 Introduction 1:33 A Filmmaker's Cinematic Archive 3:45 Navigating an Intoxicating and Toxic Duality 6:35 Relationship Between Music and War 8:48 Unpacking the Bendali Family’s Iconic Track 14:59 A Massive Eight-Year Undertaking 18:19 Over Four Thousand Hours of Research 22:54 Ode to Documentarians and Artists 26:30 Absence of History in National Textbooks 32:01 Layered Soundscapes as a Creative Pulse 34:12 Challenging Western Media Tropes 42:40 Intergenerational Trauma and Collective Release 51:50 Reclaiming a Personal and Shared Past 54:53 Essential Cinematic Recommendations Lana Daher is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist based in Beirut, Lebanon. With a background in filmmaking (MA, Goldsmiths, University of London) as well as fine arts & graphic design (BFA, American University of Beirut), she has long been active in Beirut’s vibrant art and music scenes, working across sound, image, and archival practices. Her work is grounded in deep research and intuitive storytelling, exploring the space between documentary and fiction by bringing different time periods and emotional landscapes into dialogue. Do You Love Me her debut feature had its world premiere in September 2025 at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. It is an archive-based essay film built from Lebanon’s rich but fragmented audiovisual history. Alongside the film, she created a website, a curated index of the resources and materials behind the project, aimed at reconnecting Lebanese film heritage with both local and wider audiences. An IDFAcademy alumna, Lana also co-produced the film through her company, My Little Films, founded in 2024. Connect with Lana Daher 👉 https://instagram.com/lanamakesfilms Hosted by Mikey Muhanna Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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: » 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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/ FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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. 📍 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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 Follow Youtube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/support About afikra:‎ 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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/ 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 Follow Youtube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/support About afikra:‎ 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 FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.