SCREEN

The Arab Film Festival is dedicated to bringing the unique Arab experience to our American audiences. Each year the festival offers inspiring stories through outstanding films by and about Arabs. Some of these stories unfold in distant places and others just next door. These films offer authentic images and narratives that reflect the diversity, talents, and realities of Arabs throughout the world. In doing so, the festival culturally bridges and connects global Arab filmmakers and their work with a wider community.

Remnants of a War: The men and women of south Lebanon work to clear their land of unexploded cluster munitions left after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. One million cluster bombs were dropped on south Lebanon and hundreds of thousands remain strewn across fields, orchards and groves, injuring and killing civilians long after the war's end.

Stranger in my Home Jerusalem: Based on oral history, this film relates the stories of eight Palestinian Jerusalemite families that have been turned into refugees in their own city. Each family goes to see its house which was occupied in 1948, and speak with the current Israeli tenants.

Laila's Birthday: Abu Laila, a former judge, is forced by the economy to become a taxi driver. On his daughter's birthday, his wife insists he be at home early and bring her a present and a cake. But the challenges of daily life in Palestine change his plans. Abu Laila’s trials throughout the day reveal the complicated, yet universally human, situation in Palestine, and the unstoppable spirit of its people.

On A Day Like Today: One day, May encounters a man and falls in love with him, and just as suddenly, he dies in a car crash. After a period of mourning, she falls in love again, but when she discovers uncanny similarities in the two relationships, she begins to look for ways to save her new lover's life.

Casanegra: Two childhood friends, Adil and Karim, try to make a living as small-time crooks on the streets of modern day Casablanca. But when both men decide to make a better life for themselves, they are hired by a local mobster to perform one last job to earn their ticket out of Casablanca, and their friendship faces the ultimate test. Casanegra is an ode to the hopes of a city and a generation.