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Racing Arab Chicks and Boundary Breakers Hit Arab Film Festival

The 12th annual Arab Film Festival Australia returns in 2015 boasting a melting pot of films from around the Arab world. The Festival will open in Sydney on Thursday 13 -16 August and will present six feature films and four short films.

From a small Lebanese coastal village, to the racetracks of Palestine, to the iconic backdrop of the Arabian dessert, the Festival gives audiences the best of contemporary Arab films. Whilst conflict and instability continue to be the dominant representation of the Arab world, the filmmakers are uncovering rich and rare stories and capturing them in unique ways.

“Arab filmmakers are reflecting exciting and sometimes volatile times, and through cinema they are making powerful statements, challenging stereotypes, and creating conversations about the future they dream for” says Festival Co-Director, Mouna Zaylah. “We’re proud to showcase the diversity of the region with films from Jordan, Iraq, UAE, Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon.

Festival Co-Director Fadia Abboud is particularly looking forward to audience reactions to this year’s line-up. “In 2015 the Festival explores taboos from small towns to big cities: Arab chicks’ car racing in the West Bank; Arab boys taking a road-trip partying across borders and check-points. There’s a theme of pushing boundaries both physically and ideologically”.

The opening night celebrations will include a screening of Ghadi (2014) on Thursday 13 August. Ghadi was nominated by Lebanon for submission to the Academy Awards. A heartwarming tale, set in a small Lebanese coastal village, Ghadi tells the story of a young special needs boy and the lengths his father goes to in order to convince the town to accept his son. Ghadi features one of Lebanon’s favourite actors and writers, Georges Khabbaz, and is directed by Amin Dora who won an International Digital Emmy Award for Lebanon’s renowned web series Shankaboot. All opening night ticket holders will also be treated to a traditional Arab sweet Knafeh served up by the Bearded Bakers.

Other films on the bill include the highly anticipated documentary Speed Sisters (2015), which drives full throttle into the world of the West Bank’s street car-racing scene and the first all-women team tearing up the track. Breaking conventions and turning heads, these women are bold and fearless carving out a name for themselves in this gritty, male dominated sport. Speed Sisters also screened as part of Hot Docs, the Canadian International Documentary Festival this year.

Abu Nowar’s impressive debut Theeb (2014) is an adventure film set in 1916 and shot on location against the incredible desert landscape of Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba. The remarkable Jordanian film has a full cast of traditional Bedouin’s and has collected ten nominations across the globe including; taking out Best Foreign Film and Best Film from the Arab World at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Jury Prize for Best Cinematography and Artistic Direction at the Cairo International Film Festival.

From A to B (2014) takes you on a journey with three estranged childhood friends who decide to road trip from Abu Dhabi – through Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria – to Beirut. Filled with speed humps, breakdowns, wrong turns, shady mechanics and a camel or two, this rollicking comedy and road movie is packed with adventure. From A to B has also been nominated for a string of awards including; Official Selection in the Cairo International Film Festival 2014 and was part of the Official Selection for the Dubai International Film Festival.

Set in post revolution Egypt, Cairo Time (2014) is told over the course of a single day revealing the interwoven stories of six characters whose lives are all at a critical juncture. This film brings together three Egyptian screen icons, Mervat Amin, Samir Sabry and Nour El-Sherif, whose characters are each grappling with social oppression.

Shedding light on the forgotten 1991 Iraqi Uprising, In The Sands Of Babylon (2013) is a docu-drama following an Iraqi soldier making his way home after the Gulf War only to be imprisoned at the hands of Saddam’s brutal regime. With stunning visuals this film masterfully reconstructs an immense human tragedy. The film won Best Film From the Arab World at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Prize at the 2014 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

Stay up to date with the Arab Film Festival
Website: www.arabfilmfestival.com.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/arabfilmfestivalaustralia
Twitter: www.twitter.com/arabfilmfestau

SYDNEY
When: Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 August
Where: Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta
Tickets: Book by 02 8839 3399 or www.arabfilmfestival.com.au
$35.00* Opening Night+Film+KnafehSweets+Party
$20.00* Full Price
$15.00* Concession (excludes Opening Night)
$85.00/$65.00* Marathon Package (excludes Opening Night)
* Transaction fee applies.

SCREENINGS
Thursday 13 August
8pm: Ghadi + Opening Night Party

Friday 14 August
8pm: From A To B
8pm: Lovers

Saturday 15 August
5pm: Speed Sisters
5pm: Cotton
8pm: Cairo Time
8pm: 130km To Heaven

Sunday 15 August
5pm: In The Sands Of Babylon
5pm: Hassan In Wonderland
8pm: Theeb

When

13th August 2015
To 16th August 2015

Where

Riverside Theaters Parramatta
Corner Church and Market Street
Parramatta