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Broadcast Pro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
SAFAR Film Festival returns for 10th edition
The festival continues through June 28, wrapping up with the UK premiere of 'Sudan, Remember Us' (2024), directed by Hind Meddeb. The SAFAR Film Festival has returned to the UK for its 10th edition, opening with the newly restored version of Hassan Al-Imam's 1972 Egyptian classic Watch Out for Zouzou, marking its UK premiere at Ciné Lumière in London. The festival, which runs until June 28, continues its mission of bridging cinematic heritage and contemporary Arab storytelling, celebrating both nostalgia and innovation through its selection of films from South West Asia and North Africa. This year's programme reflects a strong interplay between the past and present, aiming to offer audiences a sense of continuity in Arab cinema. In addition to reviving iconic works such as Watch Out for Zouzou, the festival hosts a residency with Egyptian artist Bahia Shehab, who will collaborate with emerging creatives to produce video essays exploring the legacy and evolution of Arab stardom. The closing night will feature the UK premiere of Sudan, Remember Us (2024), directed by Hind Meddeb—a poignant documentary chronicling the lives impacted by the Sudanese conflict. The theme of generational memory and political reckoning resonates throughout the festival, as films span decades, regions, and emotional terrain. One such film, Agora, explores the mystery surrounding three people who return from the dead in a quiet Tunisian town, while Across the Sea traces Nour's life from 1990s Morocco to France, navigating the trials of love and belonging. Urgent present-day realities are depicted in A State of Passion, which follows British Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah working in Gaza's overwhelmed emergency hospitals amid relentless bombings. Palestinian stories hold a central place in this edition, with a dedicated strand including a masterclass by celebrated actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri, screenings of archival footage from early 20th-century Palestine accompanied by live music, and a broad spectrum of documentaries, essays, and fiction centered on Palestinian experiences and resistance. The programme also reflects on the traumas of Syria's ongoing crisis with My Memory is Full of Ghosts and commemorates 50 years since the start of Lebanon's civil war with a special online programme curated by Lebanese cultural platform AFLAMUNA. As part of this remembrance, the festival will present a restored screening of the elusive modern classic Phantom Beirut. This year's SAFAR also turns to the land itself as a narrative space, with films and discussions tackling colonial histories (After the Sun) and celebrating environmental storytelling. A selection of short films on biodiversity, curated in partnership with the REEF Film Festival, forms part of a growing eco-conscious strand, led by SAFAR Futures alumni and new assistant curators Amina Ali and Sally Zarzour. In a deeply personal contribution, SAFAR co-founder Saeed Taji Farouky reflects on the recurring motif of ghosts that threads through the festival—from the Egyptian horror classic Fangs to displaced memories and lost homes—and will host a communal tea ritual as a gesture of collective healing and solidarity. Beyond its festival window, SAFAR continues to support Arab cinema's theatrical presence across the UK, offering audiences a chance to revisit or preview key works. This includes access to previously screened titles like Layla, set in a vibrant queer context, as well as early looks at upcoming UK releases such as the introspective Red Path and the festival's closing documentary Sudan, Remember Us. The festival also features a compelling mix of stories highlighting diverse Arab lives and voices: The Tale of Daye's Family follows a young Nubian albino aspiring to sing despite social resistance; The Village Next to Paradise portrays the resilience of Araweelo in Somalia; Thank You for Banking With Us unites two estranged Palestinian sisters pursuing their inheritance; Seeking Haven for Mr Rambo takes viewers through Cairo as Hassan searches for safety for his dog; and Saify offers a darkly comic reflection on capitalism and religion in 1990s Saudi Arabia. Marking a decade of cultural dialogue through film, this edition of SAFAR offers a bold and emotionally resonant panorama of Arab cinema, engaging with memory, identity, resistance, and imagination across generations and borders.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
What to expect at the 10th edition of the UK's SAFAR Film Festival
DUBAI: The 10th edition of the SAFAR Film Festival launches on Wednesday with a newly restored screening of the 1972 Egyptian classic 'Watch Out for Zouzou' by Hassan Al-Imam at Ciné Lumière in London. The festival will run until June 28, concluding with the UK premiere of 'Sudan, Remember Us' (2024) by Hind Meddeb. This edition of SAFAR will take place across cinemas in London and nine other UK cities, showcasing a broad range of feature films, documentaries and shorts from the South West Asia and North Africa region. A post shared by SAFAR FILM FESTIVAL (@safarfilmfestival) A complementary online programme, curated by the Lebanese nonprofit cultural organization AFLAMUNA, will run throughout the month, exploring works that respond to the Lebanese civil war — 50 years after it began. Audiences can expect films that explore themes of migration, political empowerment, conflict, creativity and joy. Among this year's highlights is 'A State of Passion,' documenting the work of British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah in Gaza. Directed by Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi, the film delves into the emotional toll of his work. A post shared by :: أفلامُنا.اونلاين (@ Veteran Palestinian actor, director and documentarian Mohammad Bakri will be a special guest, delivering a masterclass and appearing for screenings of 'Upshot' (2024) by Maha Haj and his landmark 2002 documentary 'Jenin, Jenin,' which was banned by the Israeli Film Board. The film features testimonies from survivors of the 2002 Israeli military assault on the Jenin refugee camp. Among other notable titles is 'Seeking Haven for Mr Rambo' (2024) by Khaled Mansour, an emotive thriller that follows Hassan on a mission to protect his best friend and dog. The film previously won the Grand Prize at the Red Sea International Film Festival. 'Red Path' (2024) by Lotfi Achour, based on a true story, recounts the harrowing experience of 13-year-old Achraf, who is forced to carry the severed head of his cousin back to their village after a terrorist attack. A post shared by :: أفلامُنا.اونلاين (@ In 'Saify' (2024) by Wael Abu Mansour, a middle-aged trickster sells tapes of banned Islamic sermons in hopes of quick profit, offering a sharp social commentary on the pursuit of wealth. Directors of all three films will be present at SAFAR for post-screening discussions. Also part of this year's programme is Laila Abbas's dark comedy 'Thank You for Banking With Us!' (2024), where two estranged sisters reunite to claim their inheritance before the authorities discover their father's death and transfer it to their brother. A post shared by SAFAR FILM FESTIVAL (@safarfilmfestival) SAFAR will also present 'Palestine – A Revised Narrative,' a 30-minute silent film compiled from 35mm archival footage shot by British forces in Palestine between 1914 and 1918. Commissioned by ALFILM, this screening will feature a live score by composer Cynthia Zaven and sound design by Rana Eid, re-examining the British imperial narrative at a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern history. The festival includes environmental programming through 'Biodiversity and Cinema,' an initiative launched in 2023 that brings together Lebanese filmmakers and ecologists to create short documentaries on ecosystems and microorganisms. A selection of these films will screen under the title 'Rooted Resistance,' with filmmakers in attendance. 'The Brink of Dreams' (2024) by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El-Amir also features in this year's line-up. Shot over four years in southern Egypt, the film follows a group of girls who form a street theatre troupe to challenge the expectations of their conservative village.
