Gearing up towards the launch of its 4th edition, Arab Cinema Week is finally here— bringing a packed and culturally-rich program that dives deep into the diverse narratives, genres, and talents shaping the region’s silver screen industry today.
Expected to run from May 2 – 11 at Cinema Akil, over 20 screenings will take place across nine days, showcasing the different narratives and creative voices coming out of the Arab world, with everything from gripping dramas and niche documentaries to everything in between.
“We live in a moment where we ask ourselves, day and night, three questions: Where have we been? Where are we now? And where are we heading? These are the same questions posed by Mahmoud Darwish in his famous poem The Butterfly Effect. Though such questions may be eternal for humankind, and despite not having definitive answers even now, perhaps the answer is love—love for life and love for others,” organizers said of the forthcoming event.
“This year, Arab Cinema Week is all about people— people who are fighting and striving to make their dreams come true, just like us. It’s these small dreams that give our lives meaning—whether it’s the dream of financial freedom, independence, the return of a city ravaged by war, a long-awaited family reunion, or the quiet journey of self-reconciliation. In one way or another, our dreams shape the world around us,” they continued.
This year’s lineup—presented by Fujifilm, in partnership with Alserkal Avenue—brings together a compelling mix of features, shorts, and documentaries, diving into everything from family and war to city life, personal journeys, and the lived experiences of women. And if you can’t make your mind up as to which titles will be worth the watch, below, we compiled a short list of movies you should catch this time around.
5 must-watch movies at Arab Cinema Week, just here.
Aicha
Directed by: Mehdi Bersaoui
Language: Arabic
Genre: Drama
Year: 2024
Cinema Akil synopsis: “Aya, in her late twenties, feels trapped in her life with her parents in southern Tunisia, seeing no prospects for change. One day, the minivan she commutes in daily between her town and the hotel where she works crashes, leaving her as the sole survivor. Realising this could be her chance for a fresh start, she flees to Tunis under a new identity, but everything is soon jeopardised when she becomes the main witness to a police blunder.”
Three
Directed by: Nayla Al Khaja
Language: English, Berber
Genre: Horror
Year: 2024
Cinema Akil synopsis: “A young boy’s mental health crisis prompts his desperate mother to seek help from an unexpected source-a man who must abandon his Western mindset and embrace a powerful, ancient ritual to save her son.”
Sudan, Remember Us
Directed by: Hind Meddeb
Language: Arabic
Genre: Documentary
Year: 2024
Cinema Akil synopsis: “Shajane, Maha, Muzamil, Khattab. They are Sudanese in their twenties, politically active and artistically creative. This film is a cinematic chorus, the collective portrait of a generation fighting for freedom with their words, poems and chants. Faced with a corrupted army responsible of war crimes in Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile, they could have lost heart before starting. Without the dream guiding them, the power of imagination and the might of poetic discourse, they would not have overthrown the former regime.”
My Memory Is Full of Ghosts
Directed by: Anas Zawahri
Language: Arabic
Genre: Documentary
Year: 2024
Cinema Akil synopsis: “Explores a reality caught between past, present and future in Homs, Syria.”
Arze
Directed by: Mira Shaib
Language: Arabic
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Year: 2024
Cinema Akil synopsis: “Arzé, a single mother, takes her teenage son on a journey across sectarian Beirut in search of their stolen scooter, their only source of livelihood.”
