BAM Hosts Contemporary Arab Cinema in July

From July 11-18, BAM will present its annual Contemporary Arab Cinema series. At a time of ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and anti-war protests that rocked US campuses, our sixth contemporary Arab film week is more significant than ever. Highlighting new works from the boldest filmmakers in the Middle East and North Africa, the series illuminates the diversity and complexity of the modern Arab world. In partnership with curator Lina Matta, ANA Contemporary Arab Cinema, and NYU's Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, BAM presents 12 compelling narratives, both fiction and documentaries, among them: from Yemen, the story of a family struggling with an unwanted pregnancy in the face of economic pressures [The Burdened]; from Egypt, a journalist's view on the Afghans taking control of a US abandoned military base [Hollywoodgate]; from Iraq, the audacious story of a farmer forced to hide Saddam Hussein after the fall of his regime [Hiding Saddam Hussein]; from Sudan, a woman takes in a stranger in a complicated act of guilt and atonement against the backdrop of a divided nation [Goodbye Julia]; and from Palestine, a schoolteacher caught between his commitment to political resistance and his role as a father figure to one of his students [The Teacher]. 

The full series includes:

July 11, 7:00pm

Goodbye Julia (2023) Dir. Mohamad Kordofani. With Eiman Yousif, Siran Riak, Nazar Goma

Wracked by guilt after covering up a murder, Mona—a retired northern Sudanese singer in a tense marriage—tries to make amends by taking in the deceased’s southern Sudanese widow, Julia, and her son, Daniel, into her home. Unable to confess her transgressions to Julia, Mona decides to leave the past behind and adjust to a new status quo, unaware that the country’s turmoil may find its way into her home and put her face to face with her sins. In Arabic with English subtitles

July 12, 7:00pm

Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano (2023) Dir. Cyril Aris

On August 4, 2020, a catastrophic explosion at the Port of Beirut leaves a large part of the Lebanese capital in ruins. In the midst of the chaos, the troubled crew making the film Costa Brava, Lebanon faces an overwhelming decision: to continue the production of their movie or abandon it? As they face the aftermath of the catastrophe, they are torn between their firm belief in the transformative power of cinema and a deep sense of cynicism about its ability to effect change in a nation plagued by economic turmoil and societal collapse. The documentary Dancing on the Edge of a Volcano follows their struggles, highlighting the crew's resilience as they strive to find meaning and purpose in their work amidst the devastation. Join us for a Zoom Q&A with director Cyril Aris following the screening. In Arabic, French, and English with English subtitles

July 12, 9:30pm

The Third Rahbani (2023) Dir. Feyrouz Serhal

The Third Rahbani is a documentary that sheds light on the life, career, and legacy of Lebanese composer Elias Rahbani (1938—2021). Drawing upon rich personal archives and numerous interviews, director Feyrouz Serhal reflects on the career of the younger brother of Assi and Mansour Rahbani, sibling composers globally known for their work with iconic singer Fairuz. Serhal’s film charts Elias Rahbani’s rise on the Lebanese and Arab music scene. Featuring a prerecorded special guest introduction by director Feyrouz Serhal. In Arabic with English subtitles

July 13, 4:30pm

Aida Returns (2023) Dir. Carol Mansour

Aida Returns is a sometimes painful, sometimes humorous, often absurd story of multiple journeys: the journey of loss as director Carol Mansour’s mother struggles with Alzheimer’s disease; the journey of losing a parent; and the ultimate journey involved in Aida’s return to Yafa, where she would finally find rest. Mansour documents her process of engineering the return of her mother’s remains to Palestine, aided by friends and strangers—a journey both private and universal, in acknowledgment of personal loss and of affirmation to exiled Palestinians forbidden to return home. Featuring a prerecorded special guest introduction by director by Carol Mansour. In Arabic, English and French with English subtitles

July 13, 6:30pm 

The Burdened (Al Murhaqoon) (2023) Dir. Amr Gamal. With Khaled Hamdan, Abeer Mohammed, Samah Alamrani, Awsam Abdulrahman.

Based on true events that take place in Aden around 2019, The Burdened follows the struggles of a married couple and their three children after both husband and wife lose their jobs as a result of the country’s economic crisis triggered by the 2015 civil war. When the mother discovers she is carrying a fourth child the family cannot afford, the beleaguered parents determine to seek an abortion despite their community’s conservative stance,.The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Berlinale—the first Yemeni film in that festival’s history—winning the second place Audience Award and the Amnesty International Award. Join us for a Q&A with director Amr Gamal following the screening. In Arabic with English subtitles

July 13, 9:30pm

Hiding Saddam Hussein (2023) Dir. Halkawt Mustafa. With Yassin Hamad Amin, Saidulla Faizulla, Chnar Imad Ghanm *Special Screening*

Over 20 years after footage of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein crawling out of a hole in the ground became iconic, the modest farmer who hid the deposed president beneath a flowerbed in his garden for eight months tells his fantastical tale. On camera, the farmer recounts assuming the roles of presidential hairdresser, physician, and bodyguard—and the unlikely friendship that emerged, even as he ignored a $25 million bounty. The story is richly illustrated with re-enacted scenes interspersed with news reports of the time. In Arabic with English subtitles

June 14, 4:00pm

Hajjan (2023) Dir. Abu Bakr Shawky. With Abdulmohsen Alnemr, Alshaima'a Tayeb, Ibrahim Al-Hasawi

In the highly competitive world of Bedouin camel racing, Ghanim dreams of seizing victory in the annual Great Safwa Race to honor his legendary grandfather, known only as Hajjan—“The Jockey.” When tragedy strikes after Ghanim is thrown from his mount by a mysterious golden rider, resulting in his death, Mattar, his younger brother, sets out to restore the  family honor by becoming a Hajjan himself. His quest for justice becomes a battle for freedom, suffused with magical realism. Hajjan is both an adventure story and a moving account of the deep bond that can develop between human and animal. Featuring a prerecorded special guest introduction by director Abu Bakr Shawky. In Arabic with English subtitles

July 14, 6:30pm

Inshallah a Boy (2023) Dir. Amjad Al Rasheed. With Mouna Hawa, Haitham Alomari, Yumna Marwan

The debut feature by director Amjad Al Rasheed and the first-ever Jordanian film to premiere at Cannes, Inshallah a Boy tells the story of Nawal, who faces destitution after the sudden passing of her husband. In order to protect her daughter and save her home from an exploitative brother-in-law taking advantage of Jordan’s patriarchal inheritance laws, Nawal pretends to be pregnant with a son—a deception that grows harder to sustain as time passes, leaving her with a difficult path toward self-determination. In Arabic with English subtitles

July 15, 7:00pm

Rebel (2023) Dirs. Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah. With Aboubakr Bensaihi, Lubna Azabal, Tara Abboud. 

Having made a Hollywood splash with Bad Boys for Life (2020) and its newly opened sequel, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the directorial duo Adil and Bilall turn their collective eye toward the turbulent Middle East with Rebel, a family drama in which two Muslim Belgian brothers struggle with radicalization. Hoping to turn his life around as his drug-dealing past closes in, Kamal leaves Belgium to help war victims in Syria, but is forced to join ISIS on the battlefield. Back home, radical recruiters target Nassim, promising to reunite him with his older brother, while Leila, their devout mother, fights to protect her younger son. Punctuated with musical sequences, Rebel audaciously examines the corrupting allure of violence. In Arabic, French, English, Dutch with English subtitles

July 16, 7:00pm

The Teacher (2023) Dir. Farah Nabulsi. With Saleh Bakri, Muhammad Abed El Rahman, Imogen Poots

A Palestinian school teacher struggles to reconcile his risky commitment to political resistance with his emotional support for one of his students and the chance of a new relationship with a volunteer worker. The Teacher is the directorial feature-film debut of Farah Nabulsi, a Palestinian-British filmmaker born, raised, and educated in the UK, whose debut short film, The Present, won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Oscar. Featuring a prerecorded special guest introduction by director Farah Nabulsi. In English and Arabic with English subtitles

July 17, 7:00pm

Hollywoodgate (2023) Dir. Ibrahim Nash'at

When the United States withdrew from its 20-year “forever war” in Afghanistan, the Taliban retook control of the ravaged country and immediately found an American base loaded with weaponry—a portion of the over $7 billion in US armaments still in the country. Unprecedented and audacious, director Ibrahim Nash’at’s Hollywoodgate spends a year inside Afghanistan following the Taliban as they take possession of the cache America left behind—and transform from a fundamentalist militia into a heavily armed military regime. Join us for a Q&A with director Ibrahim Nash'at following the screening. In Dari, English, Pashtu with English subtitles

July 18, 7:00pm

Voy! Voy! Voy! (2023) Dir. Omar Hilal. With Muhammad Farrag, Nilli Karim, Bayoumi Fouad

Based on an incredible true story, Voy! Voy! Voy! relates the tale of Hassan, an Egyptian man who dreams of escaping poverty in Cairo, and fakes a visual impairment in order to join a team bound for the Blind Football World Cup in Poland. Join us for a Q&A with director Omar Hilal following the screening. In Arabic with English subtitles. 

Additional information and tickets: https://www.bam.org/film/2024/contemporary-arab-cinema

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