For those who don’t already know, Kalam Aflam has emerged as a singular force, shaping conversations and curating spaces where young and radical voices from the region can be heard. Based in Paris, this forward-thinking non-profit has spent its inaugural year championing emerging filmmakers, artists, and storytellers from the Arab world and its diaspora. With a mission to amplify perspectives that often lie outside mainstream narratives, Kalam Aflam is carving out a distinct place for itself at the intersection of culture, politics, and creativity.
As it celebrates its first anniversary, the organization is pushing its vision even further, forging an exciting new collaboration with the French Institute in Egypt to present a three-month film series at Cairo’s Cinéma de Mounira. Running until Dec. 16, 2024, this partnership brings together the best of emerging cinema from the Arab world, North Africa, and France, offering audiences a bold and evocative glimpse into the dynamic storytelling and cinematic traditions that these regions offer.
But this isn’t just another film series. It’s an intentional act of cultural exchange—a curated encounter with the pulse of today’s Arab and North African cinema. Every Monday at 7 P.M., viewers will be treated to a handpicked selection of short films, documentaries, and feature-length fiction that cut through the noise and confront the pressing issues of our time. Each screening reflects the urgency and artistry of young filmmakers unafraid to grapple with identity, displacement, resistance, and love.
The program is rooted in Kalam Aflam’s thematic pillars: from the introspective, youth-driven narratives of Coming of Age and the evocative tales of migration and borders in 3ala el Shatt to the defiant, transformative visions in Love is Revolutionary. These thematic strands are a lens through which the complexities of contemporary life in the Arab world and beyond are examined, stretched, and redefined.
The French Institute, with its longstanding commitment to fostering cultural dialogue, sees this collaboration as an opportunity to deepen its engagement with Cairo’s vibrant and evolving creative community. It’s an investment not only in cinema but in the next generation of storytellers.