From societal tales to personal struggles, here are some recently released hard-hitting Arab documentaries.
‘For Sama’
The Syrian documentary, by filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab, is a love letter to Al-Kateab’s infant daughter, documenting the desperate conditions she and her husband lived through in Syria. It just picked up the best film prize at the British Independent Film Awards.
‘Beirut Terminus’
Lebanese director Elie Kamal debut documentary recently won the Best Nonfiction Film at the Cairo International Film Festival for its look at the country’s defunct railway system.
‘History of the Emirates’
This documentary uses CGI technology, 360-degree camerawork and archaeological footage to depict the history of the UAE over 125,000 years, culminating with the formation of the union in 1971.
‘Ibrahim: A Fate to Define’
Director Lina Al-Abed searches for traces of her disappeared father — a seemingly ordinary Palestinian man who was actually a secret member of a militant splinter faction.
‘Talking About Trees’
“Talking About Trees,” by Sudan’s Suhaib Gasmelbari, follows four older filmmakers who battle to bring cinema-going back to Sudan.
‘143 Sahara Street’
Algerian Hassen Ferhani's quiet documentary about an off-the-grid café is an intimate portrait of its proprietor and her guests.
