DUBAI: The 17th edition of the Arab Film Festival Berlin will run from April 22 to 28 with feature films, documentaries and shorts from the past two years.
This year’s ALFILM program is divided into three strands — Selection, Spotlight and Specials — designed to showcase a variety of perspectives and storytelling approaches shaped by the region’s present-day realities.
The Selection strand highlights works that examine individual and collective experiences in the context of conflict, displacement and political turbulence, touching on ideas of loss, endurance and renewal.
A central focus of this year’s festival is the Spotlight program, “Sudan: New Projections – Retrospectives, Revolutions, and Restorations,” curated by Talal Afifi of the Sudan Film Factory. Dedicated to Sudanese cinema, the section includes contemporary films and restored archival material.
Within the Specials strand, the festival honors influential figures in Arab cinema, including Mohamed Bakri and Youssef Chahine, whose film “Adieu Bonaparte” will be screened.
It will also spotlight director Daoud Abdel Sayed with “Land of Dreams,” the final film featuring iconic actress Faten Hamama. In addition, art director Onsi Abou Seif will be recognized and lead a masterclass on scenic design.
The festival opens with “Palestine 36,” a sweeping historical drama directed by Annemarie Jacir, which will have its German premiere ahead of a broader theatrical rollout.
Elsewhere in the program, films including “Tales of a Wounded Land” by Abbas Fadel and “The Lions by the River Tigris” by Zaradasht Ahmed, explore themes of survival and rebuilding in Lebanon and Iraq.
Meanwhile, “The President’s Cake” by Hasan Hadi revisits life during the rule of Saddam Hussein through the eyes of a child.
Other highlights include “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” by Sepideh Farsi and “The Clown of Gaza” by Abdulrahman Sabbah, both of which reflect on everyday life and survival amid the ongoing assault on Gaza.
The film “El Sett,” directed by Marwan Hamed, centers on legendary singer Umm Kulthum and stars actress Mona Zaki.
The movie revisits a significant concert in Paris following the 1967 Arab–Israeli war and has sparked discussion in Egypt over how such an iconic cultural figure should be depicted on screen.
Screenings and events will be held across multiple venues in Berlin.
