Arab film festival: tales of revolution, romance and reality
The Arab Film Festival Australia opens on 30 June with a selection of films from around the world.
Opening night is the Australian premiere of The Cry of an Ant, the first feature film to address the Egyptian Revolution of January 2011. The films ending was re-written to included scenes from the Tahrir square demonstrations. Egyptian director, Sameh Abdel Aziz will attend the night. Other films explore tales of revolution, romance and everyday life throughout the Arab world.
The program also includes short films from two Australian filmmakers, Haidar Noor, from Sydney and Fatima Mawas, from Melbourne.
A public forum during the festival will explore how young Arab people are using new media to amplify their voices, transmitting images globally, and helping to trigger political and cultural change in nations from Tunisia to Syria.
Festival co-director, Mouna Zaylah said of this year’s festival: “We have something for everyone. Films that talk about the revolution, the romance and the realities of the Arab people, both in the Arab world and living in the diaspora”
The festival airs at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta from Thursday 30 June to Sunday 3 July then tours nationally.
