The Festival Also Offers Special Programming To Local Audiences, And Unprecedented Access To The Diversity And Range Of Authentic Arab Experiences. The Festival Has Gained An International Reputation For Excellence And Offers Its Audiences Access To Media That Reflects The Lives Of Under-Represented And Provocative Themes And Groups On A Cultural And Societal Level.

Schedule Of Events:

Palestinian Voices

At The Arab Film And Media Institute, We Seek To Continually Change The Narrative, Share Our Stories, And Foster Understanding Of Our Common Humanity Through Art And Storytelling. At The End Of Last Year, In Response To Beginning Of The Ongoing Genocide In Gaza, We Started A Program Called Palestinian Voices To Do Just This. Throughout This Dire Time, We Feel That Is It More Important Than Ever To Share The History, Culture, And Stories Of Palestine.

In Contrast To Western Media Coverage That Often Dominates The Narrative, This Program Highlights The Stories Of Palestinians As They Want To Tell Them. Each Film Offers Us Glimpses Into The Daily Lives Of The Palestinian People–Their Struggles Under Occupation, But Also Their Hopes, Dreams, And Insistent Reclamation Of Life, Despite It All. We Are Honored To Share These Shorts That Explore Childhood Imagination, The Efforts To Return, And The Solidarity That Can Be Found In Surprising Places.

5:40 Pm - Arze

Arzé Is A Struggling Single Mother Living In Beirut With Her Agoraphobic Older Sister And Teenage Son, Kinan. Supporting The Family By Making Homemade Pies Delivered On Foot By Her Son, Arzé Knows That The Business Can Only Sustain Them For So Long. In A Move Of Desperation, She Steals Her Sister’s Cherished Bracelet To Pawn For The Down Payment On A Delivery Scooter. But Disaster Strikes When The Scooter Is Stolen, Jeopardizing Her Only Way To Provide For Her Family. Up Against A Ticking Clock To Either Find The Scooter Or A Way To Pay For It In Full, Arzé And Kinan Embark On A Wild Journey Through The Turbulent But Vibrant, Multiethnic Levantine Capital In Pursuit Of The Pilfered Moped.

8:10pm - Baghdad Messi

The Talented Hamoudi Is An 11-Year-Old Boy With A Passion For Soccer And An Ultimate Dream To One Day Reach The Level Of His Idol Lionel Messi. The Day Hamoudi Is Caught In A Horrific Suicide Attempt, He Wakes Up Severely Injured In A Hospital. As His Parents Struggle To Keep The Family Safe, Hamoudi Is Determined To Fight For His Shattered Dream.

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