Latest news with #RashidMasharawi
Egypt Today
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Egypt Today
Acclaimed director Rashid Masharawi collaborates for the first time with Baho Bakhash
Producer Baho Bakhash and esteemed Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi have met today at the 15th Malmö Arab Film Festival Industry Days, which runs until May 5th, 2025, in Sweden, in order to reach an agreement on a new Arab cinematic project bringing them together, under the title "the Natives". This announcement coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Industry Days current edition which is regarded as a celebration of collaborative creativity. Producer Bakhash stated, "It is the first project between Red Star and director Rashid Masharawi in a work that is written and directed by him. It will be a special Palestinian-Egyptian-Jordanian production reflecting the absurd consequences of the Palestinian situation in a satirical style, as well as a touch of black comedy. Full details will be announced shortly". She added, "MAFF Industry Days have become a bridge connecting filmmakers from various cultures, creating new creative opportunities and collaborative films that achieved significant global success. Thus, it is important to announce our new project with esteemed director Rashid Masharawi in the Arab cinema capital in Europe in order to proceed our artistic and cultural dialogue". Director Masharawi noted, "I was pleased with the announcement of this project through a platform for Arab cinematic exchange and collaboration in Malmö. Visions converge and ideas are embodied in new and special ways. In my opinion, 'the Natives' is a special cinematic experience. I attempt to reflect on the new and old Palestinian situations and recount events from new dimensions through a compelling cinematic presentation blending cynical humor, depth and simplicity". Masharawi added, "The primary motivation to write this story stemmed from the urgent need to consider the meaning of a person's loss of place, instead of only replacing a certain place. Indeed, it is an experience that sheds light on the diaspora of the soul, feeling and memory".
Broadcast Pro
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Malmö Arab Film Festival unveils film line-up for 15th edition
The opening film of the festival will be 'Passing Dreams' by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi. The Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) has revealed its film programme and jury members for its 15th edition, set to run from April 29 to May 5, 2025. The festival will showcase 35 films—23 feature films and 12 short films—representing storytelling from 12 Arab nations, with co-productions involving 10 Western countries. This year's feature film competition includes 12 titles, while 11 short films will vie for top honours in their category. Additional highlights include selections in the 'Arabian Nights,' 'Special Screenings,' 'Schools Screenings', and 'Family Screening' sections, each offering diverse cinematic perspectives and engaging narratives. Commenting on the selection of films, Founder – Executive Chairman of the festival, Mouhamad Keblawi, said: 'We are proud that the 15th edition of the Malmö Arab Film Festival brings together a selection of the finest recent Arab cinematic productions, reflecting the cultural diversity and creative richness of Arab filmmakers. This year, we have carefully curated a well-rounded program featuring powerful films with compelling themes and distinctive directorial visions, offering audiences a unique cinematic experience and the opportunity to engage with the filmmakers themselves.' The festival will open with Passing Dreams by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, a co-production between Palestine, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and France. The film sets the tone for a week of cross-cultural dialogue and cinematic celebration. Expanding its reach beyond Malmö, the festival will also hold screenings in the nearby cities of Lund and Landskrona. Lund will feature 11 films on April 29, May 2 and May 3, while Landskrona will host a special screening of two films on May 3, allowing more audiences across southern Sweden to experience the festival's offerings. Among the standout titles in the Feature Film Competition are Arzé by Mira Shaib, Diaries from Lebanon by Myriam El Hajj, Everybody Loves Touda by Nabil Ayouch, Norah by Tawfik Alzaidi and The Brink of Dreams by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir. These films reflect a range of contemporary issues, artistic styles and collaborative international efforts. The Short Film Competition includes notable entries such as Abu Judy, Bougainvillea, Chikha and Upshot, showcasing emerging talent and new voices in Arab cinema. Additional films to be screened include The Bridge and Il Signor in the Arabian Nights section, The Bad Son and Aziz Epoch in Special Screenings, and selections tailored for educational and family audiences. As MAFF continues to grow in scope and impact, its 15th edition reaffirms its role as a vital hub for Arab filmmakers and audiences in Europe, celebrating the evolving identity and creative force of Arab cinema on a global stage.
CairoScene
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Zawya Cinema to Screen Gaza-Filmed Docu-Series ‘From Ground Zero'
Launched by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, 'From Ground Zero' gives 22 filmmakers from Gaza a platform to tell their own stories of war, survival and resistance. Apr 23, 2025 As part of the 8th edition of Cairo Cinema Days, Downtown Cairo's Zawya Cinema will host the Egyptian premiere of 'From Ground Zero', a series of 22 short films produced in Gaza under siege. The screening begins on April 24th, with all films subtitled in English. The initiative was launched by veteran Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi to create space for filmmakers from Gaza to tell their own stories—first-hand perspectives that are often erased or sidelined in global coverage of the ongoing war. The project brings together fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental film to explore daily life, memory, displacement, grief, and resistance in a war-torn context. Tickets are priced at EGP 100, with the full screening schedule to be announced by Zawya Cinema in the coming days.
Arab Times
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
‘From Ground Zero': film sheds light on genocide in Gaza
KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Palestinian Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Tahboub confirmed that 'From Ground Zero' is the most powerful and important movie ever filmed in Gaza Strip, three weeks after the start of the genocidal war waged by the occupying State against the Palestinian people, particularly those in the Gaza Strip indicating that Palestinian directors residing in Gaza produced the movie. Tahboub made the statement on the sidelines of the screening of the movie as part of the Palestine Film Festival organized recently by the American University of Kuwait (AUK) in cooperation with the Palestinian Embassy. Several diplomats, citizens, expatriates and supporters of the Palestinian cause attended the event. He stated that the producers of the movie are eyewitnesses to what has been happening in recent periods, indicating the movie is a collection of 20 short films. He pointed out that the goal is to inform the entire world about what is happening in Gaza in this difficult period. He said more than 100 people -- all filmmakers -- worked in the filming set. 'They faced difficulties due to power and Internet outages, as well as the need to communicate with the core team, including Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi. They risked their lives from the North to the South of the Gaza Strip to document these events,' he disclosed. He affirmed that the film has been shortlisted for an Oscar. 'It has been screened at 100 international film festivals, and there are attempts to screen it at the Cannes Film Festival,' he added. He emphasized that the film's ultimate message is for the world to know the genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip against the Palestinian people and for viewers to experience the moment that Palestinians have experienced. In addition, an Arabic evening event in Malmö, Sweden included the screening of 'From Ground Zero: Untold Stories from Gaza'. This project brings together 22 short films produced by talented directors from Gaza. Launched by prominent Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, the initiative emerged amidst the conflict and aims to provide a platform for young artists to express themselves through their craft. Each short film, ranging from three to seven minutes in length, offers a unique perspective on the current reality in Gaza. The project captures the diverse experiences of life in the Palestinian enclave like the challenges, tragedies, and moments of resilience faced by its people. Blending genres such as fiction, documentary, animation and experimental film; the movie presents a rich web of stories that reflect the grief, joy and hope found in Gaza. Despite the harsh recording conditions, Gaza's vibrant art scene shines through this collection, offering an intimate and powerful portrayal of the daily lives and perpetual mindset of its people. Present at the event were Arab and European filmmakers in Malmö, including the director of the Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden, renowned artist and director Mohammad Kablawi, and the project's founding director Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi who responded to the queries of a large audience at Panora Cinema after the screening.
Broadcast Pro
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Palestinian film ‘Passing Dreams' to open 15th Malmö Arab Film Festival
The film tells the story of 12-year-old Sami, who embarks on a journey with his uncle and cousin to search for his beloved pet pigeon after it escapes from their home in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) has announced that Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi's film, Passing Dreams, will open the festival's 15th edition, set to take place from April 29 to May 5, 2025, in Malmö, Sweden. A multinational collaboration between Palestine, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and France, the film tells the story of Sami, a 12-year-old boy, who takes us on an exciting adventure that spans an entire day and night in the company of his uncle, and the uncle's daughter, who is two years older than him, in search of a missing bird: a homing pigeon that Sami believes has flown back to its home of origin. Previously, Passing Dreams premiered as the opening film of the 45th Cairo International Film Festival. Its screening at Royal Cinema in Malmö on April 29, 2025, will be attended by the director and members of the film's team. Director Rashid Masharawi expressed his happiness at the selection, emphasizing the importance of showcasing films that reflect the Palestinian reality and portray its identity, culture and history—especially in these critical times. Mouhamad Keblawi, founder and Executive Chairman of Malmö Arab Film Festival, highlighted that choosing Passing Dreams as the opening film aligns with the festival's ongoing commitment to fostering cinematic collaborations between Swedish and Arab filmmakers—one of its core missions since its inception. The film received production support from the Swedish Film Institute and was developed in partnership with Film i Skåne. Additionally, it involved collaboration with Kinana Films, founded by Basel Mawlawi, and featured contributions from artists and technicians from both Sweden and the Arab world. Masharawi, a renowned Palestinian filmmaker, has spent decades creating films that depict daily life in Palestine with a touch of irony. In 1996, he established the Cinema Production and Distribution Center (CPC) in Ramallah, dedicated to training young Palestinian filmmakers and developing Palestinian cinema.
