Exclusive: The Arab Film Club, a popular monthly film club on Arab cinema based in London, is expanding.
Actress and presenter Sarah Agha, the club’s founder and curator, is launching The Arab Film Club Podcast, debuting Wednesday, May 1, with an initial five-episode season. Episodes will drop on Podbean, Apple, and Spotify every second Wednesday after that.
The pod’s first season will be dedicated to Palestinian cinema and highlight five different Palestinian filmmakers through intimate interviews. Featured filmmakers will include Darin J. Sallam, best known for her breakout feature Farha, which was Jordan’s Best International Film Oscar in 2022. Agha will also sit down with Bye Bye Tiberias director Lina Soualem. Scroll down to see the full season one lineup.
Agha, an actress, writer, presenter, and film curator is of Palestinian and Irish heritage. She is perhaps best known for presenting the acclaimed BBC doc The Holy Land And...
Actress and presenter Sarah Agha, the club’s founder and curator, is launching The Arab Film Club Podcast, debuting Wednesday, May 1, with an initial five-episode season. Episodes will drop on Podbean, Apple, and Spotify every second Wednesday after that.
The pod’s first season will be dedicated to Palestinian cinema and highlight five different Palestinian filmmakers through intimate interviews. Featured filmmakers will include Darin J. Sallam, best known for her breakout feature Farha, which was Jordan’s Best International Film Oscar in 2022. Agha will also sit down with Bye Bye Tiberias director Lina Soualem. Scroll down to see the full season one lineup.
Agha, an actress, writer, presenter, and film curator is of Palestinian and Irish heritage. She is perhaps best known for presenting the acclaimed BBC doc The Holy Land And...
- 4/17/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmakers Farah Nabulsi and Darin J. Sallam recently came together to discuss how ongoing violence in Gaza has impacted the Palestinian creative community, the hardships they’ve endured telling their stories, concerns over Hollywood censorship and hopes that film can “preserve” Palestinian history for the Muslim Girl Code podcast‘s debut episode “Will Storytelling Save Palestine?”
In a conversation with MuslimGirl.com founder Amani Al-Khatahtbeh for the podcast’s first Ramadan episode, Nabulsi and Sallam shared how their identities as Palestinian women have influenced the stories they spotlight, and whether identity or gender has been a barrier for them in the film industry.
Nabulsi, a British-Palestinian filmmaker whose recent works include the Oscar-nominated short “The Present” and “The Teacher,” notes that the difficulties she has faced more often have been due to independent cinema being a challenge in itself and that the stories she wants to tell are Palestinian and...
In a conversation with MuslimGirl.com founder Amani Al-Khatahtbeh for the podcast’s first Ramadan episode, Nabulsi and Sallam shared how their identities as Palestinian women have influenced the stories they spotlight, and whether identity or gender has been a barrier for them in the film industry.
Nabulsi, a British-Palestinian filmmaker whose recent works include the Oscar-nominated short “The Present” and “The Teacher,” notes that the difficulties she has faced more often have been due to independent cinema being a challenge in itself and that the stories she wants to tell are Palestinian and...
- 3/27/2024
- by Sharareh Drury
- Variety Film + TV
Noah Cowan, former co-director of the Toronto Film Festival and executive director of Sffilm in San Francisco, died Wednesday of cancer in Los Angeles, Deadline has confirmed. He was 55.
Cowan died of glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer he was diagnosed with in December 2021.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story 'Farha' Filmmakers Accuse Israel Of Attempting To Discredit Jordanian Oscar Entry, Condemn Moves To Get It Taken Off Netflix Related Story 'Alice, Darling': Anna Kendrick Thriller Getting Oscar-Qualifying Run Before 2023 Theatrical Release
Born on July 22, 1967, in Hamilton, Ontario, he joined TIFF in 1984 as a box office staffer after volunteering with the fest in summer 1981. He later ran its print traffic department before becoming one of the programmers of TIFF’s Midnight Madness program in 1989. He was promoted to Program Administrator in 1992, and co-ran Midnight Madness with Colin Geddes...
Cowan died of glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer he was diagnosed with in December 2021.
Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story 'Farha' Filmmakers Accuse Israel Of Attempting To Discredit Jordanian Oscar Entry, Condemn Moves To Get It Taken Off Netflix Related Story 'Alice, Darling': Anna Kendrick Thriller Getting Oscar-Qualifying Run Before 2023 Theatrical Release
Born on July 22, 1967, in Hamilton, Ontario, he joined TIFF in 1984 as a box office staffer after volunteering with the fest in summer 1981. He later ran its print traffic department before becoming one of the programmers of TIFF’s Midnight Madness program in 1989. He was promoted to Program Administrator in 1992, and co-ran Midnight Madness with Colin Geddes...
- 1/26/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Farha was a classic indie film success story.
Darin J. Sallam’s low-budget drama, set in 1948, in the early days of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, premiered in Toronto last year before touring an A-list of international festivals with sold-out screenings in Rome, Busan, Gothenburg and Lyon. Critics loved the movie, praising the story of the feisty Farha, a 14-year-old girl living in a small Palestinian village who butts up against her society’s patriarchal restrictions on young women. When Israeli forces enter the town — part of a military action that saw more than 700,000 Palestinians displaced and scores of Palestinian towns and villages wiped off the map— Farha’s father locks her in a room for safety. From inside, she witnesses Israeli soldiers committing an atrocity against civilians.
Karam Taher in ‘Farha’
The festival buzz around Farha led to a global Netflix deal via sales group Picture Tree International.
Farha was a classic indie film success story.
Darin J. Sallam’s low-budget drama, set in 1948, in the early days of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, premiered in Toronto last year before touring an A-list of international festivals with sold-out screenings in Rome, Busan, Gothenburg and Lyon. Critics loved the movie, praising the story of the feisty Farha, a 14-year-old girl living in a small Palestinian village who butts up against her society’s patriarchal restrictions on young women. When Israeli forces enter the town — part of a military action that saw more than 700,000 Palestinians displaced and scores of Palestinian towns and villages wiped off the map— Farha’s father locks her in a room for safety. From inside, she witnesses Israeli soldiers committing an atrocity against civilians.
Karam Taher in ‘Farha’
The festival buzz around Farha led to a global Netflix deal via sales group Picture Tree International.
- 12/8/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jordanian director Darin J. Sallam and producers Deema Azar and Ayeh Jadaneh have accused Israel of mounting a disinformation campaign against their film Farha and also rebuked the country for attempting to get it removed from theaters and Netflix.
The film is set in 1948, in the early days of the Israel-Palestinian conflict which saw scores of Palestinian towns and villages wiped off the map, while some 700,000 people fled the territory.
The picture’s titular protagonist Farha is a feisty 14-year-old girl living in a Palestinian village whose father locks her in a room for safety when fighting breaks out, from where she witnesses an atrocity via its small window.
The picture, which world premiered in Toronto’s Discovery section in 2021 and has since played a raft of other festivals including Busan, Red Sea and Malmö, is Jordan’s Best International Film Oscar entry this year.
Following its release on Netflix...
The film is set in 1948, in the early days of the Israel-Palestinian conflict which saw scores of Palestinian towns and villages wiped off the map, while some 700,000 people fled the territory.
The picture’s titular protagonist Farha is a feisty 14-year-old girl living in a Palestinian village whose father locks her in a room for safety when fighting breaks out, from where she witnesses an atrocity via its small window.
The picture, which world premiered in Toronto’s Discovery section in 2021 and has since played a raft of other festivals including Busan, Red Sea and Malmö, is Jordan’s Best International Film Oscar entry this year.
Following its release on Netflix...
- 12/5/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has scooped up the Best Film prize at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival. The title is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards international feature category this year.
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
Elsewhere in the festival’s Yusr Awards, Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s title Rupture was the winner for Best Saudi Film while Egyptian title You Resemble Me from director Dina Amer won the Audience Award.
Meanwhile, the jury prize was awarded to Iranian helmer Panah Panahi’s family road trip effort Hit The Road, which also won the Red Sea’s best cinematic contribution award. That title premiered in the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight earlier this year. Murad Abu Eisheh’s Tala’Vision nabbed the Best Short award while Haider Rashid won Best Director for his title Europa.
The festival’s selection included 16 features, 18 short films and 21 virtual reality experiences in a celebration of innovative films...
- 12/14/2021
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Giuseppe Tornatore was jury president for the inaugural competition featuring 16 features.
Georgian director Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has won best film at the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, unfolding in Jeddah from December 6-15.
It follows a raft of prizes for the New York-set father-son drama that world premiered at Tribeca where it won best international feature, actor and screenplay.
There were 16 features from the Middle East and Africa in the inaugural competition.
Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore presided over the main competition jury with Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director Cherien Dabis, Morelia...
Georgian director Levan Koguashvili’s Brighton 4th has won best film at the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival, unfolding in Jeddah from December 6-15.
It follows a raft of prizes for the New York-set father-son drama that world premiered at Tribeca where it won best international feature, actor and screenplay.
There were 16 features from the Middle East and Africa in the inaugural competition.
Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore presided over the main competition jury with Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, Palestinian-American director Cherien Dabis, Morelia...
- 12/13/2021
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Levan Koguashvili’s “Brighton 4th” has won best film at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Red Sea Film Festival, while Hamzah K. Jamjoom’s “Rupture” won best Saudi film.
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
“Brighton 4th” is Georgia’s entry in the Academy Awards’ international feature category.
Haider Rashid won best director for “Europa” and Adam Ali won best actor for his role in the film. Arawinda Kirana won best actress for her performance in Kamila Andini’s “Yuni,” which is Indonesia’s entry in the Oscars’ international category.
This year’s jury included: president of the Red Sea features competition, Academy Award-winning Italian director and writer Giuseppe Tornatore; Tunisian actor Hend Sabry; Palestinian-American director, writer, actor, and producer Cherien Dabis; Mexican festival director and founder of the Morelia International Film Festival Daniela Michel; and Saudi film director Abdulaziz Alshlahei. The Red Sea shorts competition jury was headed by Egyptian director Marwan Hamed and joined by...
- 12/13/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Berlin-based Picture Tree International has picked up global sales rights to two Scandinavian romantic comedies – the Finland’s “70 Is Just a Number,” about an aging female pop singer, and Sweden’s “Till Sun Rises,” about two lovers who escape their respective marriages to come together at night with the help of an ancient and magic book.
Pti will launch sales on the films at AFM, prior to their local releases via Nordisk Film: Dec. 29 and Dec. 25, respectively.
“70 Is Just a Number” is directed by Finnish comedy queen Johanna Vuoksenmaa, who directed “21 Ways to Ruin Your Marriage” – the top grossing Finnish film in 2013 with more than 400,000 admissions, still the biggest box office hit ever written, directed and produced by a woman in Finland. Produced by Nina Laurio and Riina Hyytiä with their Finnish company Dionysos Films, the film was supported by Finnish Film Foundation, and Tampere City/Film Tampere. The local broadcaster is Yleisradio.
Pti will launch sales on the films at AFM, prior to their local releases via Nordisk Film: Dec. 29 and Dec. 25, respectively.
“70 Is Just a Number” is directed by Finnish comedy queen Johanna Vuoksenmaa, who directed “21 Ways to Ruin Your Marriage” – the top grossing Finnish film in 2013 with more than 400,000 admissions, still the biggest box office hit ever written, directed and produced by a woman in Finland. Produced by Nina Laurio and Riina Hyytiä with their Finnish company Dionysos Films, the film was supported by Finnish Film Foundation, and Tampere City/Film Tampere. The local broadcaster is Yleisradio.
- 10/28/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The text reads: Palestine, 1948. That’s all you need to know to understand what’s coming. A year earlier marked the start of the Palestinian Civil War between Jewish and Arab residents after the United Nations recommended the land’s separation in a Jewish and Arab state. Israel declared independence in May of 1948 and, as some history books describe it, a mass exodus arose to render about half the nation’s pre-wwii Arab population into refugees without a home. To simply call it an exodus, however, is misleading. Most of these people didn’t choose to leave as a means of finding settlement elsewhere. They were driven out by Israeli military forces who in turn destroyed villages and murdered so-called “rebel forces” in an ethnic cleansing that continues today.
As anyone following the news knows, using the term genocide for what happened / is happening has always been a hotly disputed...
As anyone following the news knows, using the term genocide for what happened / is happening has always been a hotly disputed...
- 9/11/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Saudi Arabia’s nascent Red Sea International Film Festival has revealed 14 Arabic feature films selected to receive production and post-production funding from its Red Sea Fund.
The announcement was made at the Venice Film Festival where the Red Sea festival and Saudi Arabia’s fledgling film industry have a substantial presence.
Among the beneficiaries of the fund are Jordanian writer and director Darin J. Sallam’s Toronto Film Festival-bound “Farha,” the story of 14-year-old girl Farha in Palestine in 1948, who watches from a locked pantry as catastrophe consumes her home, and Lebanese director Ely Dagher’s “The Sea Ahead,” that recently launched from the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The announced grants for pics coming from Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, mark the first round of funding from the deep-pocketed fund that in June announced a $10 million pot, which then during Cannes, in July, was increased to $14 million,...
The announcement was made at the Venice Film Festival where the Red Sea festival and Saudi Arabia’s fledgling film industry have a substantial presence.
Among the beneficiaries of the fund are Jordanian writer and director Darin J. Sallam’s Toronto Film Festival-bound “Farha,” the story of 14-year-old girl Farha in Palestine in 1948, who watches from a locked pantry as catastrophe consumes her home, and Lebanese director Ely Dagher’s “The Sea Ahead,” that recently launched from the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The announced grants for pics coming from Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, mark the first round of funding from the deep-pocketed fund that in June announced a $10 million pot, which then during Cannes, in July, was increased to $14 million,...
- 9/6/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
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