Kawalis | Cinema, Television & Theater from the Arab World

Arabs are a remarkably theatrical population, yet many remain unaware of the profound importance and relevance that theater holds in daily life. Scholar and performer Dr. Samer Al-Saber discusses his award-winning book, A Movement's Promise, which charts the history of contemporary Palestinian theater. The conversation explores how a small, tenacious community of artists used storytelling and comedy as forms of resistance under occupation while navigating pervasive institutional censorship. From the legendary tours of Al-Hakawati Theatre to the unique role of commercial theater in shaping regional consciousness, this episode highlights a world-class cultural heritage that continues to endure.

00:00 Introduction

01:15 First Memories of the Live Stage

03:20 The Intertwined Destinies of Theater and Media

05:46 Dualities of Performance

08:25 The Mechanics of Exportation & the VHS Era

11:59 The Roots of Social Commentary

15:19 Mapping a Movement: Theater as Liberation

19:55 The Walled-Off Era & Global Ambassadors

23:55 Characters Every Arab Should Know

28:05 Ideologies, Regimes, & the Arab Body Politic

31:47 Theater as a Leading Indicator

35:36 Creating Art Under Pressure

42:03 Tracing the Legal Frameworks of Pervasive Control

45:04 The Precarious State of Spaces & Cultural Institutions

Samer Al-Saber is a critical scholar, historian, director, and playwright at Williams College, where he is Associate Professor of Theatre. He comes to Williams after serving for over a decade at the Department of Theater and Performance Studies at Stanford University, the School of Theater at Florida State University, and the Theater Department at Davidson College. He received the Walter J Gores Award at Stanford and the Undergraduate Teaching Award at Florida State University, the most prestigious teaching awards at these institutions. His monograph A Movement's Promise: The Making of Contemporary Palestinian Theater (Stanford University Press, 2025) is the first comprehensive history of the Palestinian Theater Movement. He is co-editor of the anthology Stories Under Occupation and Other Plays from Palestine (Seagull Press/University of Chicago Press), editor of To The Good People of Gaza (Bloomsbury Press), and co-editor of Arab, Performance, and Politics (Routledge, 2024). Directing credits include Returning to Haifa (Golden Thread Productions, 2025), Betty Shamieh's As Soon As Impossible, Hasan Abdelrazzak's The Prophet, and others. He holds a PhD in Theatre History and Criticism from the University of Washington (2013).

Connect with Samer Al-Saber 👉 https://instagram.com/samer.al.saber

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

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» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Rooted in a profound sense of cultural duty, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-recognized filmmaker and poet Hind Shoufani unpacks a lifetime of artistic resistance and stateless identity. This conversation navigates the complexities of Palestinian liberation and the enduring legacy of the PLO through the poignant lens of her activist family. From the relentless grit behind her feature documentary, Trip Along Exodus, to her fifteen-year multimedia endeavor tracking Arab women poets in, The Poeticians, the discussion explores voices that boldly challenge both Western and Arab expectations. The episode culminates with an inside look into her upcoming 2027 release, They Planted Strange Trees,, which serves as a classical love letter to the resilience of indigenous Palestinian Christians reclaiming their ancestral land.

00:00 Introduction

01:02 Growing Up Secular & Socialist in the Arab World

06:03 Independent Paths & the Complexity of Belonging

09:44 Documenting Untold Realities

16:01 The Grit of Filmmaking a Father's Legacy

24:59 Subverting Expectations with The Poetitions Project

31:40 Giving Voice to Erotica, Grief & Diaspora During Conflict

37:18 A Poet's Impulse & Channeling Words in Dark Times

38:15 Reclaiming the Galilee: A Love Letter to Ancestral Roots

43:35 Structural Themes of Resilience and Looking Toward 2027

Hind Shoufani is a Palestinian filmmaker and writer living in New York. A Fulbright scholar and MFA graduate in Filmmaking from NYU, she was a writer in residence at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa in 2011. Hind was also recently awarded a 2026 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in NonFiction Literature.

Her film work has earned international recognition, including a BAFTA and an Academy Award nomination for the short film The Present. She has directed, produced, and edited dozens of documentaries and experimental films over her 28-year career. Hind's feature documentary Trip Along Exodus screened in more than 40 cities, and she produced the Palestinian film Heavy Metal, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her poetry and prose have appeared in numerous international publications, and for nearly two decades she has curated Poeticians, a collective of poets and musicians performing in Beirut, Dubai, and Brooklyn. Dark Star Requiem is her first full poetry collection published in the United States with Diode Editions. She is currently working on her second Palestinian feature film "They Planted Strange Trees.

Connect with Hind Shoufani 👉 https://www.instagram.com/gonewiththehind/

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
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» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Hania Mroue, founding director of Metropolis Cinema, breaks down the wild journey of building a cultural sanctuary in the heart of Beirut. From opening its doors one day before a war to being evicted with only 48 hours' notice, this is a story of grit and pure love for the big screen. We dive into the urgent mission of preserving Lebanon’s decaying film memory and why independent cinema is actually for everyone, not just the elite. It’s a raw look at how art survives in an unstable world, and why you should definitely skip the sofa for a real theater seat.

00:00 Introduction

02:11 Early Aspirations for a National Narrative

04:14 Establishing the First Regional Arab Film Festival

06:52 Testing the Waters of Public Interest

08:33 A Debut Marked by Regional Instability

10:50 Scaling Up the Vision

13:58 Navigating Sudden Displacement of the Cinema

16:54 The Broader Regional Film Network

24:50 The Fate of Physical Archives

27:35 The Weight of Global Platforms and Political Statements

33:44 Shifting Economic Realities and Streaming Impact

45:34 Challenging the Notion of Exclusive Spaces

51:04 The Irreplaceable Nature of the Theater

Hania Mroue is the founder and director of Metropolis Cinema, which opened in 2006 and is Lebanon’s only art house movie theater. In 2010, she launched MC Distribution, a company dedicated to selling and distributing Arab and international independent titles in the MENA region. She is a founding member of Aflamuna (formerly Beirut DC), created in 1998 to promote and support independent Arab films. For 10 years she has been the managing director of the Arab film festival Ayam Beirut al Cinema’iya. She was appointed as chief Arab programmer at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (2010-2012). She has served as jury member for several film festivals around the world, including for Cannes’ Critics Week, the Berlinale, Cinema Du Réel and others. Most recently, she was a consultant for Arab film programming and industry events at the Marrakesh International Film Festival from 2020 to 2023.

Connect with Hania Mroue 👉 https://instagram.com/mrouehania

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Moving to Chad as a child in the late 1990s, filmmaker and scholar Bentley Brown grew up speaking Chadian Arabic. He discusses how his unique upbringing shaped his perspective on identity and storytelling and explores the complexities of being a chameleon between cultures. Using film and comedy to bridge gaps in understanding and challenge misconceptions about the Sahel region, he tells us about his early films screened at international festivals and his presence on social media to his recent work documenting the Sudanese Revolution and water crises in Chad, highlighting the power of art to preserve history and navigate the in-between spaces of global identity.

0:00 An Identity Formed in the Sahel

06:05 The Ethics of the Storyteller

12:07 Comparative Dialectology and Global Connections

22:56 Comedy as a Tool for Cultural Critique

29:33 Filming the Sudanese Revolution from Afar

40:08 Water, Trauma, and the Chadian Landscape

55:03 Chadian Music and the Synthesizer Revolution

Bentley Brown is a filmmaker and scholar whose work revolves around disidentification, language, and artistic translations of science. A Berlinale Talent, Durban Talent, and Africa Movie Academy Awards nominee, Brown’s past films include Behind the Sun (Hot Docs 2023), First Feature (International Film Festival Rotterdam 2019), and Oustaz (Berlinale 2016). Brown holds a PhD in Emergent Technologies and Media Arts Practices from the University of Colorado Boulder and has served as an Assistant Professor at the American University of Sharjah since 2023.

Connect with Bentley Brown 👉 https://instagram.com/waldbrown

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Filmmaker Lana Daher explores Beirut’s multifaceted soul through an archive-based journey centered on the haunting rhythms of the Bendali family’s 1978 track "Do You Love Me". This cinematic investigation navigates the intoxicating yet toxic duality of a city defined by generational cycles of trauma and creation.This massive undertaking involved over 4,000 hours of research into Lebanese independent cinema and journalistic archives to piece together a non-linear history of Lebanon. The investigation delves into why the Lebanese Civil War remains absent from national textbooks, leaving generations to uncover their history through the eyes of artists and oral testimonies. Lana Daher deliberately challenges Western media tropes of Beirut, focusing on the nuanced experiences of civil society through a meticulous blend of sound and image. The film offers potential for collective release by confronting trauma to move beyond it, standing as a celebration of the artists who documented and preserved Lebanese life when institutions failed to do so.

0:00 Introduction

1:33 A Filmmaker's Cinematic Archive

3:45 Navigating an Intoxicating and Toxic Duality

6:35 Relationship Between Music and War

8:48 Unpacking the Bendali Family’s Iconic Track

14:59 A Massive Eight-Year Undertaking

18:19 Over Four Thousand Hours of Research

22:54 Ode to Documentarians and Artists

26:30 Absence of History in National Textbooks

32:01 Layered Soundscapes as a Creative Pulse

34:12 Challenging Western Media Tropes

42:40 Intergenerational Trauma and Collective Release

51:50 Reclaiming a Personal and Shared Past

54:53 Essential Cinematic Recommendations

Lana Daher is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist based in Beirut, Lebanon. With a background in filmmaking (MA, Goldsmiths, University of London) as well as fine arts & graphic design (BFA, American University of Beirut), she has long been active in Beirut’s vibrant art and music scenes, working across sound, image, and archival practices. Her work is grounded in deep research and intuitive storytelling, exploring the space between documentary and fiction by bringing different time periods and emotional landscapes into dialogue. Do You Love Me her debut feature had its world premiere in September 2025 at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. It is an archive-based essay film built from Lebanon’s rich but fragmented audiovisual history. Alongside the film, she created a website, a curated index of the resources and materials behind the project, aimed at reconnecting Lebanese film heritage with both local and wider audiences. An IDFAcademy alumna, Lana also co-produced the film through her company, My Little Films, founded in 2024.

Connect with Lana Daher 👉 https://instagram.com/lanamakesfilms

Connect directly with Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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We discuss "A Sad and Beautiful World" with director Cyril Aris who shares the deeply personal and societal inspirations behind the film, spanning three decades of life in Lebanon. Written starting 2019 and recorded amidst ongoing instability in Lebanon, the conversation offers a nuanced look at the role of cinema as a witness to history, the challenges of creating art during intense political events, and the delicate balance between personal intimacy and national tragedy. Aris delves into his creative process, from the technical aspects of sound design to the emotional labor of building chemistry between his leads, while reflecting on the enduring spirit of resilience in the Arab world.

Recorded on March 9, 2026

00:00 Introduction

04:36 The Genesis of the Idea for A Sad and Beautiful World

07:30 Filmmaking Amidst the Political and Economical Events in Beirut

10:08 Cinema as a Witness to History

16:13 Balancing Love Stories With Societal Context

27:31 Narrative Versus Documentary Direction

34:39 The Importance of Sound and Music Design

44:02 Casting and Collaborating With Mounia Akl and Hasan Akil

53:48 Uncredited Artistic and Literary Inspirations

01:00:10 Top Five Lebanese Film Recommendations

Cyril Aris is a Lebanese Director & Screenwriter and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His first fiction feature film, A Sad and Beautiful World (2025), produced by Abbout Productions (Lebanon) & Diversity Hire (USA) premiered at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in the Giornate Degli Autori competition, and it won the Audience Award. It was selected as Lebanon’s candidate for Best International Feature Film in the 98th Oscars. The film also played at BFI London Film Festival, and the Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci) in Spain, where it won the Audience Award. Other awards include Best Screenplay at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Best Score and Youth Jury Award at Cinémed in France, the Grand Prize at the Rencontres Cinématographiques in Cannes, the Snow Leopard for Best Film at the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Aurora Award for Best Film at Tromsø Film Festival, the Jury Prize at the MedFilm Festival in Rome, and the Audience Award in Ljubljana IFF in Slovenia, among others. His previous feature documentary Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano (2023), received a post-production grant from the Sundance Institute and premiered in the main competition at Karlovy Vary, where it won a jury special mention and won awards in Rotterdam, Valencia, Rome, San Francisco, Marseille, and beyond. His debut feature documentary The Swing (2018) won multiple awards across Europe and the Arab world. His fiction short film The President’s Visit (2017) won Oscar-qualifying awards and played in over 70 festivals. Aris also works as an editor, with credits including Costa Brava, Lebanon (2021), which won the NETPAC award at the Toronto International Festival, the audience award at the BFI London Film Festival, and the FIPRESCI award at El-Gouna.

Connect with Cyril Aris 👉 https://instagram.com/cyrilaris

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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Filmmaker and artist Ahmed Ghossein discusses his intimate, award-winning work, the unique challenges of producing cinema in Lebanon, and the complex relationship between art, war, and memory. Ghossein, whose films like My Father Is Still a Communist and All This Victory (Jidar Sawt) have garnered international acclaim, delves into his upbringing in southern Lebanon, the influence of his family's audio archives, and the profound split between the cultural realities of Beirut and the rest of the country. He also shares his shift toward black comedy and conceptual art to navigate the surreal post-2019 crisis in Lebanon.

0:00 Introduction

2:04 Childhood, Art and Cinema's Role In Growing Up

5:00 Growing Up In Nabatieh and the Cultural Scene Across Lebanon

7:38 The Divided Reality of War in Beirut Versus the South

10:09 The Filmmaker's Role: Capturing Reality vs Stepping Back

12:04 A Theater Education at the Lebanese University 

16:23 The Success and Intimacy of My Father Is Still a Communist

17:21 Dealing With Personal Archive, Memory and Ethical Distance

21:03 My Father Is Still a Communist: The Cassettes and the Absence of the Father

28:26 The Relationship With Intimate Success and Being "Naked"

30:57 Success and Responsibility: Shifting Artistic Tools

31:47 The High Stakes of Filmmaking in Lebanon Due to Lack of Funding

33:46 All This Victory (Jidar Sawt): A True War Story

39:39 The Intention Behind Making Films

44:05 Conceptual Art and the Post-2019 Crisis in Lebanon

44:55 Art on Economic Crisis: The "How To Make Your Money Sell" Piece

47:06 Black Comedy and the Surreal Reality of Lebanon

50:39 Post-2019 Obsession With Therapy and Personal Healing

52:21 The Surrealism of Real Lebanese News Stories

53:15 Where To Watch Ahmed Ghossein's Films

Ahmad Ghossein is an artist and a filmmaker whose practice utilizes a number of media, including video art, installation, art in public spaces and film. The starting point of his work stems from the collecting and analyzing of facts, documents, and found footage and materials, which then feed into a body of work that draws on the potentialities of the moving image. His feature film debut All This Victory (2019) won the Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the Venice International Film Critics’s Week. His short film, White Noise, which was produced under the auspices of “Lebanon Factory,” opened the Director’s Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival 2017. His Video work My Father Is Still a Communist (2011) commissioned by Sharjah at foundation was awarded best short film in Tribeca Doha Film Festival 2011 and was selected by MoMa and Berlinale and several festivals. His other short The Fourth Stage opened the Forum Expanded of the Berlinale Film Festival, Berlinale 2016. He was the co-artistic director of Beirut Art Center (2020-2021) and his work has been exhibited in countless museums and galleries around the world.

Connect with Ahmad Ghossein 👉 https://instagram.com/ahmadghossein

Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 

https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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We're joined by film critic and president of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI), Ahmed Shawky, and delve into the role of film critics in the Arab world. We talk about Shawky's personal journey into critiquing films and the evolution of Arab cinema. Shawky shares insights on iconic Egyptian filmmakers, the impact of global cinema, and his experiences at various film festivals. We touch on the challenges of censorship and the future of the Arab film industry. 

00:00 Introduction 
00:37 Defining the Role of a Film Critic
02:00 Early Influences and Passion for Cinema
03:35 The Impact of the Internet on Film Criticism
08:42 Starting a Blog and His First Writing Job
11:46 Golden Age of Arab Cinema
15:55 Challenges of Film Criticism in the Arab World
19:57 The Life of a Modern Film Critic
25:14 Optimism and Challenges in Arab Cinema
29:38 The Role of Film Festivals
31:27 The Growth of Filmmakers on the Global Scene
32:25 Advice for Arab Film Festivals
34:19 Successful Film Festival Models
39:47 The Role of Saudi Arabia in the Arab Film Industry
48:14 Challenges and Optimism in Censorship
52:22 Rapid Fire Questions

Ahmed Shawky is a Tanta-born Egyptian film critic, programmer, and president of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) and the Egyptian film critics association (EFCA). He publishes weekly articles about cinema and entertainment industry, mainly in three major Arabic websites: Filfan.com, Fasllah.com, and Schehrezade.com. He has published eight books Egyptian cinema, and worked for many festivals like El Gouna, Cairo, and Malmo. In 2010, he presented his first film, A Life's Box, then directed The Green Tape, and A Guinea Pig, before making his first documentary, Once Upon a Place.

Connect with Shawky 👉 https://www.instagram.com/shawforlife

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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In this episode of Kawalis, we welcome Farah Nabulsi, the acclaimed director and writer behind films like "The Teacher" and the BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated "The Present." Nabulsi shares her powerful journey from her career in finance to filmmaking, highlighting her profound connection to Palestine and the human stories that inspire her work. The conversation delves deep into the reality of life under occupation, unpacking the emotional and political complexities. Nabulsi discusses her creative process, the impact of her films, and the urgent need for empathy and awareness. This episode is a compelling exploration of humanity amid the ongoing atrocities on Palestinians.

00:00 Introduction: Understanding the Palestinian Struggle
01:11 The Journey of Making a Film About Palestine
03:25 A Personal Connection to Palestine
03:53 Witnessing the Reality on the Ground
06:59 The Emotional Impact of Injustice
09:53 From Banking to Filmmaking
13:41 The Power of Storytelling
26:04 Creating "Today They Took My Son"
32:23 The Impact of Short Films
34:26 Inspiration Behind "The Present"
36:52 The Journey of a Filmmaker
37:19 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
38:12 The Birth of a Screenplay
38:43 Taking the Director's Seat
40:42 Reflecting on the Film's Impact
41:22 Navigating Cultural and Personal Challenges
42:31 Authenticity and Audience Reception
47:28 Nabulsi's Latest Film "The Teacher"
47:44 Casting and Collaboration
59:59 Exploring Human Dynamics
01:04:06 The Role of International Presence
01:06:30 Challenges in Distribution and Reception
01:11:59 Final Thoughts and Release Information

Farah Nabulsi is a Palestinian-British, Oscar-nominated and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker and human rights advocate. Born, raised and educated in London, Farah began her career as an institutional equity stockbroker. She ended up with a CFA designation at JP Morgan Chase before moving on to build a children-focused business that she ran for 10 years. In 2015, she started working in the film industry and founded Native Liberty Productions, through which she writes, produces and directs fiction films, exploring topics that matter to her. She created a digital resource (oceansofinjustice.com) to deconstruct the Israeli military occupation of Palestine in a way never done before.

Connect with Nabulsi 👉 https://www.instagram.com/farah.nabulsi/

"The Teacher" will have its US premier on April 11 in NYC and its nation-wide premier on April 18.

Watch "Today They Took My Son" 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDZy1VTfL60

Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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In this last episode in 3 Kawalis podcast special zooming in on cinema in the Gulf, Alia Younis hosts associate professor of Culture and Politics at Georgetown Qatar, Firat Oruc, to explore the history of cinema in the Arab Gulf region. Firat delves into the colonial emergence of cinema in the 1930s, highlighting the peculiar British regulations and colonial anxieties tied to film exposure. The discussion covers the significant role of oil companies in establishing cinemas, producing petro-documentaries aimed at showcasing their version of development and modernization. Firat shares his journey of discovering archival documents that shed light on the historical and contemporary aspects of Gulf cinema. Join us as we uncover how cinema has been a powerful force in shaping cultural and political narratives in the Gulf.

00:00 Introduction
01:58 The Colonial Era of Gulf Cinema
03:41 Archival Discoveries and Colonial Anxieties
04:26 Colonial Anxiety around Cinema Arrival
11:23 Censorship and the Introduction of Cinema
23:46 The Role of Oil Companies in Gulf Cinema
28:51 Petro-Documentaries and Nation Building
40:00 The Influence of Television and Radio
47:30 Personal Journey into Gulf Cinema History
49:02 Future Research Directions

Firat Oruc is an associate professor of Culture and Theory at Georgetown University and is currently working on two book projects: one on world literature and the making of modern Turkey, and the other on the cultural and political history of film in the Arabian Peninsula. He is the editor of Sites of Pluralism: Community Politics in the Middle East (Oxford University Press, 2019) and co-editor of Indian Ocean Literary Circularities (Duke University Press, 2022). He is also the author of journal articles that have appeared in Comparative Literature, Film History, HAWWA: Journal of Women of the Middle East and the Islamic World, Journal of World Literature, Criticism, Postcolonial Text, and English Language Notes. At GU-Q, he is co-lead of the Energy Humanities Research Initiative at the Center for International and Regional Studies and Director of the Certificate in Media and Politics program. He is the recipient of research grants from the Qatar National Research Fund, the Doyle Engaging Difference Program, and the Teaching, Learning, and Innovation Summer Institute. He has served as a visiting assistant professor of English and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Comparative Literary Studies program at Northwestern University. Professor Oruc received his Ph.D. in literature from Duke University.

Hosted by Alia Yunis 👉 https://www.instagram.com/alia__yunis/

Alia Yunis is a writer, journalist and filmmaker. She is also a visiting associate professor of film and heritage studies at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. 

Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊 https://spoti.fi/47I59ns

#GulfCinema #ArabFilms #afikraKawalis #FiratOruc #AliaYunis #Colonialism

FOLLOW & RATE THE KAWALIS PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-movie-night/id1646405109
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6wG6CeZgE9LGtOVKwB6d5U
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639402

THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7IMTj6Jk7yAJXCMMqxaP5A&feature=shared

ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra

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