Ameer Fakher Eldin: ‘I was cut off from my culture. Now I’m making films with all the Arab world’ 

Ameer Fakher Eldin: ‘I was cut off from my culture. Now I’m making films with all the Arab world’ 
Syrian filmmaker Ameer Fakher Eldin directed “Yunan,” which received support from the Red Sea Fund and the Red Sea Souk. (AFP)
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Updated 24 April 2025
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Ameer Fakher Eldin: ‘I was cut off from my culture. Now I’m making films with all the Arab world’ 

Ameer Fakher Eldin: ‘I was cut off from my culture. Now I’m making films with all the Arab world’ 
  • The Syrian filmmaker’s ‘Yunan,’ backed by the Red Sea Fund, is the second in a trilogy about displacement and exile 

DUBAI: Four years ago, Syrian filmmaker Ameer Fakher Eldin set out to craft a cinematic trilogy about exile — not as an abstract theme, but as a visceral, lived reality: from being a stranger among your own people, to becoming a stranger among others, and ultimately, to imagining a life unhindered by the limitations of national borders.  

The first chapter, “The Stranger,” introduced us to Adnan, an unlicensed doctor lingering in a liminal space in Syria’s occupied Golan Heights. The opening lines hinted at the trilogy’s ambition. Standing pensively by a window, Adnan is addressed by his off-screen wife, who lists the options before them: “France? Paris… they have delicious bread. Germany? Anywhere far from here.”  




Ameer Fakher Eldin at the Amman International Film Festival in July 2022. (AFP)

The film, which Fakher Eldin wrote, directed, and edited, would go on to represent Palestine at the Academy Awards — a decision he describes as an “incredible gesture” and a “beautiful, warm embrace” from a fellow occupied people. “Perhaps it’s a different type of occupation (to the Golan Heights). We don’t have the daily clashes, but occupation still runs in the waters,” he says.   

Now Germany has become the setting for his trilogy’s second chapter “Yunan.” Having premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, where it competed for the highest prize, it is currently touring the festival circuit, building on the critical momentum of “The Stranger.” 




A still from ‘Yunan.’ (Courtesy of Red Balloon Film GmBH, Productions Microclimat Inc, Intramovies Srl)

“Yunan” explores the emotional journey of Munir (played by Lebanese actor Georges Khabbaz), a Syrian writer living in exile in Germany. Burdened by the psychological toll of displacement, he travels to the Halligen, a series of low-lying islands off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein, where he contemplates suicide. One of the director’s early inspirations was the suicide note of Stefan Zweig, a Jewish writer who fled Austria and Nazi persecution in the 1930s. Eventually settling in Brazil, he took his own life alongside his second wife, Lotte Altmann, having been left bereft by exile, the loss of his homeland, and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. 

“The character of Munir emerged from a deep exploration of the human condition,” says Fakher Eldin, who was born in Kyiv but grew up in the Golan Heights. “I wanted to explore this quiet battle that we face within ourselves. Since I come from the occupied Golan Heights, I grew up in exile without being forced to leave. I didn’t flee because of war or a national crisis — the border was displaced, leaving me displaced. I don’t know Syria. I can’t go to Syria. So I was left waiting for — or fantasizing about the idea of — a homeland.” 

As the filmmaker points out, much has been written about the odyssey of being a refugee — the danger, the despair, the journey itself. But what of being displaced?  

“The time has come for us to look at what happens after,” he says. “This is no less important. My approach was to try to anatomize the mind of the displaced person. I entered this world by connecting to the universal aspects of loss and disillusionment and the search for meaning.” 

It was during the initial stages of exploring these themes that he came across the Halligen and the phenomenon known as ‘land unter’ (land under), when the islands are submerged by the sea. Only a handful of man-made mounds topped with farmhouses remain above the water, enabling life to continue after the sea has receded. Metaphorically, land under came to reflect the structure of Yunan – that of submersion, loss, and return. 

“I went to this hallig for two years while writing, getting to know the people and the culture, and I heard, of course, about the flooding,” says Fakher Eldin, who has lived in Germany for the past four years. “I asked them: ‘When does this happen? Please tell me, because I want to be here.’” He was told it could occur once a year, 20 times a year, or not at all. Most likely, however, such an event would take place between January and March.  

The team visited during those months but nothing happened. Fakher Eldin decided to use visual effects instead, working with a post-production studio in Canada to create the film’s flood scenes. Then, in October, they headed back to the island for a three-week shoot. On the fourth day, a strong wind began to batter the island. 

“Not every wind makes a land under. It has to be strong enough, but also blowing in a certain direction, because not every wind moves the water with the tide. But that one was just right,” he says, calling the wind’s arrival “divine intervention.” He made a quick decision: he took a small team, a camera, and Khabbaz to one of the elevated farmhouses. 

“I remember standing next to the oldest man in the house, an 85-year-old, who was learning into the wind in the classic style. I said to him, ‘Do you at least know from which direction the sea will come?’ I didn’t want to just shoot from the house, I wanted to get intimate with the water, because it’s a character in the film. I wanted people to see that it was coming.” 

The speed of the event gave Fakher Eldin no time for preparation. “It’s not something you can think of before, because you haven’t experienced such a thing,” he explains. “We had 20 minutes because it was so fast. From the moment the water crossed the barrier of the shore until it reached four meters high, it felt like magic, but also incredibly dangerous. I had to direct in real time — that was a challenge. But everything you see in the film is real.” 

“Yunan,” which received support from the Red Sea Fund and the Red Sea Souk, will have its Arab premiere at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December. It will then go on general release across the Arab world. Although Fakher Eldin is currently concentrating on “Yunan,” he has completed writing the third and final instalment, tentatively called “Nostalgia: A Tale in First Chapters.” The film will tell the story of a renowned Arab opera singer who suddenly loses his voice and returns to the Golan Heights to convalesce.  

“This has brought me a lot of joy,” says Fakher Eldin of his Red Sea funding. “Especially with coming from the Golan Heights, where I was cut off from my culture. I can’t go to Syria, I can’t go to Lebanon, I can’t go anywhere in the Arab world. I’m exiled in my own home. But now I’m making films with all of the Arab world. It’s not only Saudi, it’s Jordan, Palestine, Qatar… It’s like all the Arab countries are part of my creation.” 

Importantly, the director has refused Israeli funding, thereby safeguarding the identity of his films. That refusal is not just political but deeply personal — rooted in a lifelong resistance to imposed narratives and erasures.  

“They will never say I’m Syrian. They will only say I’m a Druze filmmaker, which is something they do to distinguish Druze from Arab, which is total nonsense. But this is what happens in Israeli media and in daily life,” he says. “That’s how they like to separate. I refuse to live under an authority that wants to erase my identity.” 


Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 
Updated 5 min 36 sec ago
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Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

Primark to open 3 stores in the UAE 

DUBAI: Primark is officially making its way to Dubai, marking its debut in the UAE after years of rumors about the popular store’s launch in the country. 
The popular budget retailer is partnering with retail giant Alshaya Group to open three stores in Dubai, as announced by Alshaya Group CEO John Hadden on Virgin Radio Dubai’s Kris Fade Show. 
Set to launch in early 2026, the stores will be located at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif.
“Price is the same. We’re going to do jeans at a starting price of AED 50 and a basic t-shirt will be AED 15,” Hadden said on the show. “I’m so excited I can’t sustain it. It’s just brilliant.”
Primark’s regional debut is set for The Avenues Mall in Kuwait, with the store expected to open by late 2025. Following that, the brand will expand to Dubai as its next stop in the Middle East.
Primark began 55 years ago in Dublin, Ireland, where it originally opened under the name Penneys. Since then, it has grown to operate 450 stores worldwide.
With a presence in 15 European countries and 16 locations in the United States, the brand offers a wide range of products including clothing for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics, home goods and accessories.


Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London
Updated 08 May 2025
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Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London

Diwan Kitchen brings Saudi soul to North London
  • The UK capital’s latest Saudi restaurant drew the crowds for its opening night

LONDON: North London just got a little warmer. On May 1, at 510 Holloway Rd, the heart of the Kingdom found a new home in the UK capital. With oud music drifting through the air and the scent of spiced lamb and simmering wheat pulling people in from the street, Diwan Kitchen opened its doors to the public.

The new Saudi restaurant isn't just serving food. It’s telling stories.

The interiors are a soft, glowing tribute to the Kingdom’s past. From carved wood panels evoking the mudbrick homes of Najd, to vibrant fabrics and lanterns echoing the coastal souqs of Hijaz, every corner of Diwan Kitchen feels like a page from a living history book.

Guests on the restaurant's opening night. (AN Photo)

Those traditional mudbrick homes of Najd, designed to keep cool in scorching summers and warm in desert winters, weren’t just shelters; they were social spaces, built around courtyards, where family, memory, and hospitality were the foundation of daily life.

“We wanted to show people what traditional Saudi dining is like” Adem Nasraddin, co-founder of the restaurant, told Arab News. “There’s a rhythm to Saudi life. A scent, a pace, a flavor. We bottled that feeling and served it on a plate.”

And what a plate it is. The tasting menu is a culinary journey across the Kingdom. You can start in Hijaz, with motabag — pan-fried pastries that are light and crisp and deeply comforting. Whether filled with spiced vegetables, gooey cheese, or minced beef, each bite transports you to a Jeddah street corner at sunset.

There’s foul medammas, a creamy mash of fava beans seasoned the Hijazi way: with garlic, lemon, and cumin. And tamees bread; hot and soft, made for tearing and sharing — just as it should be.

The restaurant serves authentic Saudi cuisine. (AN Photo)

The main courses venture into the windswept heartlands of Najd, with jareesh, a dish made from crushed wheat, simmered with tomatoes and onion, that tastes like something a Bedouin grandmother would proudly serve you under an open sky. Alongside it is marqooq, a rich, flat-dough stew that has nourished generations through long desert nights.

Of course, no Saudi table would be complete without rice. Diners can choose between kabsa — the fragrant national treasure of the central regions — and mandi, with its delicate smoke, hailing from the misty mountains of Asir and the southern valleys.

Then comes saleeg, a creamy rice dish from Taif, cooked in milk and broth and topped with tender chicken. It's the kind of meal that slows you down, insisting you stay a little longer.

“My experience has been that it’s completely authentic,” one Saudi guest, Fahad Habib, told Arab News. “It feels like I’m back home.”

Beyond the menu, Diwan Kitchen is a space built on memory and modernity. Saudi music played at the launch, and as guests chatted over cardamom coffee and dates, the atmosphere was part-family gathering, part-culinary pilgrimage.

The opening night drew a mixed crowd — Saudis living in London, curious neighbors from Holloway Road, and food lovers eager to explore a cuisine that’s still underrepresented in the UK. For many, it was more than just a meal; it was a chance to connect with a culture through flavor, memory, and setting.


Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion
Updated 08 May 2025
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Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

Best and Worst: Saudi presenter Ftoon Marwan talks family, freedom and fashion

DUBAI: The Saudi presenter and content creator discusses fashion and how family and freedom have influenced her journey. 

Best TV show or film you’ve ever seen?    

The best TV show? “The Walking Dead.” I’ve watched it more than six times. I’m crazy about this show. I’ve been watching it since I was little kid. For movies, I like “Life or Something Like It” with Angelina Jolie. I’ve also been watching it since I was a child. The story of the movie is very nice.  

Worst TV show or film you’ve ever seen?   

“It.” I hate that movie. I don’t understand, are they trying to make kids scared of clowns? They’re already afraid of them. To me the idea is stupid.  

Best personal style moment so far?    

My mom actually does all of my styling. I could get a stylist, but my mom is honestly the best. I like all the outfits she chooses for me. At one event I was emceeing I was wearing a fuchsia dress. It was so bright. I was shining among everyone. I love this outfit!  

Worst personal style moment?    

I don’t have a worst style moment to be honest. There’s a saying in Arabic that means “There is a right moment for everything.” I don’t judge my style that harshly.  

Best accessory for a little black dress?    

A gold belt with simple gold earrings and accessories. All gold. Simple, simple, simple. For heels, it has to be gold. I have gold heels that I love so much. They work with everything!  

Worst accessory for a little black dress?  

Everything matches black. So, I do not think there is a worst accessory. It’s the king of colors.  

Best fashion trend of 2025?    

Statement accessories like bold bags and chunky jewelry. I like when they are out there and obvious, but the outfit itself has to be simple. Accessories give life to the outfit, you know?   

Worst fashion trend of 2025?    

Tiny bags, who wears them anymore? I can’t put anything inside them! It’s a stupid idea.  

Best advice you’ve ever been given?   

Focus on your health, family, money and work. I’d say focus especially on your family. Your mother and father brought you into this world with the hope of raising a child they could be proud of and honored by in front of others. My parents dedicated their entire lives to raising us to become the best versions of ourselves.   

Worst advice you’ve ever been given? 

“Get married early so we can see your kids.” Someone once proposed to me and said that. Thankfully my family said no. I truly appreciated it. They said no to make me free to do whatever I want whenever I want. 

Best thing to do when you’re feeling low?    

When I go to the beach, I swear I am the happiest creature in the world. Also, when I was a little kid, I used to tell my parents to take me ice skating whenever I felt low. This habit stuck with me until now. It gave me really good balance.  

Worst thing to do when you’re feeling good?    

Oversharing my feelings and my money. I’ll go spend my money on my friends and family. My mom keeps telling me: “Stop, you’ll need this money someday.” But I always tell her what goes comes around in double. That’s my motto.   

Best holiday destination?    

Dubai. I really love it. I lived most of my childhood there. I also like Germany. I went there in 2013 with my whole family. It was so nice. Honestly, I remember every moment of it. 

Worst holiday destination?   

I’ve never been to Egypt, but my family were saying they didn’t like it because of the situations they they’ve been in there. 

Best subject at school?  

I used to enjoy history, archaeology and science. Then in college, I did archaeology and tourism. It was meant to be. It was so me.  

Worst subject at school?   

Math, math, math. I remember a lot of Ds and one F.  


Summer’s hottest box-office hits 

Summer’s hottest box-office hits 
Updated 08 May 2025
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Summer’s hottest box-office hits 

Summer’s hottest box-office hits 

DUBAI: From super-fast cars to superhero stars, some of the blockbusters due in the next few months 

‘Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning’ 

Director: Christopher McQuarrie 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames 

Ethan Hawke is back in this direct sequel to 2023’s “Dead Reckoning — Part One.” It continues the story of Hawke and his crew’s battle against the Entity — a rogue AI capable of controlling Earth’s defense and financial networks. After the relatively poor box-office performance of “Dead Reckoning,” this needs to be a big hit, or else it really might — as the name implies but as no one yet believes — be the final outing for Cruise in one of the most iconic action roles in cinema history. Due out May 22. 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ 

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp 

Starring: Maia Kealoha, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Zach Galifianakis 

Live-action remake of Disney’s 2002 animation about a young orphan girl (Lilo) who befriends Stitch, a dog-like alien who, unbeknownst to Lilo, is genetically engineered to be a destructive force. Lilo hopes that Stitch can help with the troubles she is having with child protective services, who are threatening to separate her from her older sister Nani. But if he’s going to do that, then together they will have to keep him safe from the aliens hunting for him. Chris Sanders, writer and director of the original movie, returns as the voice of Stitch. Due out May 22. 

‘The Phoenician Scheme’ 

Director: Wes Anderson 

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera 

This new feature from one of the world’s most singular filmmakers is a darkly humorous thriller in which wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda decides to make his somewhat estranged daughter Liesl (a nun, and the only female among Korda’s 10 children) the sole heir to his fortune after surviving the latest in several attempts on his life. That fortune depends greatly on the success of a land-expansion project he’s been planning for years. The two of them team up with Korda’s Norwegian tutor Bjorn to complete the project at great risk to themselves. Due out May 29. 

‘F1’ 

Director: Joseph Kosinski 

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon 

Sports drama whose makers have trumpeted the realism granted by its collaboration with the governing body of the F1 World Championship. Pitt plays Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver who retired following a horrific crash in the Nineties. His friend — and F1 team owner — Ruben Cervantes persuades him to come out of retirement in order to mentor the team’s rookie prodigy Joshua Pearce. Due out June 26. 

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ 

Director: Gareth Edwards 

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey 

Sequel to 2022’s “Jurassic World Dominion,” set five years on from the events of that film. Few dinosaurs have managed to survive. The ones that have are generally to be found in remote tropical areas. Covert operative Zora Bennett is hired by a pharmaceutical company to accompany its team on a secret mission to acquire the DNA of the largest remaining prehistoric species from land, sea and air respectively, which the company claims holds the key to a miracle drug that will save billions of lives. Due out July 3 

‘Superman’ 

Director: James Gunn 

Starring: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult 

As DC looks to launch its own cinematic universe to rival Marvel’s, it makes sense it would begin with a reboot of the Superman franchise. The eponymous hero, who spends his non-Superman time as mild-mannered journalist Clark Kent, has been described by producer Peter Safran as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.” The movie apparently finds Superman attempting to reconcile his alien heritage with his adoptive human family. Due out July 11. 

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ 

Director: Matt Shakman 

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach 

Marvel Studios are hoping it’s third time lucky for The Fantastic Four, this being the second reboot of the series. It’s also the opening of Phase Six(!) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is set in a Sixties-inspired parallel Earth, which the eponymous team of heroes — Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic; his wife Sue Storm/Invisible Woman; her brother Johnny Storm/Human Torch; and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm/The Thing — must protect from the planet-devouring being Galactus. Due out July 25. 

 

 

 

 


Disneyland to open in Abu Dhabi 

Disneyland to open in Abu Dhabi 
Updated 55 min 44 sec ago
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Disneyland to open in Abu Dhabi 

Disneyland to open in Abu Dhabi 

DUBAI: The UAE is set to host the Middle East’s first Disney theme park, with Disneyland Abu Dhabi confirmed for Yas Island.

An official opening date has yet to be revealed.

The project is a collaboration between Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based entertainment developer, and The Walt Disney Company.

(Left to right) Mohamed Al-Zaabi, Mohamed Al-Mubarak, Robert Iger, Josh D'Amaro. (Supplied)

Once completed, it will be Disney’s seventh global destination, adding to its parks in California, Florida, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

The new resort will be developed and constructed by Miral, while Disney will handle creative design, attraction development and overall experience planning

Robert Iger, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement: “This is an extraordinary opportunity for Disney to bring its renowned storytelling to yet another region of the world with a completely new theme park experience that will be a cultural, entertainment and technological marvel.” 

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences, said: “The concept for this resort will push the boundaries of theme park design, showcasing groundbreaking technology and visionary architecture, including a modern castle unlike anything we’ve ever created.”

Global Celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Nancy Ajram and Ed Westwick joined the celebrations on Yas Island.