Five films that will help you understand the modern Arab world

[TomSea]

Five films that will help you understand the modern Arab world

A number of catastrophic events have afflicted the Arab world in recent years. Western news reporting and Hollywood cinema tend to present these crises through disaster footage or stories about Western protagonists in which local people are merely extras. Film from the Arab world is often more complex and nuanced.

Recently, I was preparing the programme for a new season on contemporary film from the Arab world at The Mosaic Rooms in London. I have been privileged to watch incredible short and feature length films from Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt. I believe these films make visible what is often invisible to the rest of the world – people’s everyday struggles.

Filmmakers in the region are in a unique position to counter preconceptions fostered by mainstream media. They have persisted in their desire to tell their stories, against the odds. Their creativity attests to their imagination, courage and resilience, and how they respond creatively to crisis is a source of inspiration to all of us.

Through their films, they can connect us with everyday experiences of people facing turbulent events or dealing with legacies of past wars. They provide subtle, personal perspectives on the Arab world that conventional reporting and Hollywood drama simply cannot match.

If you are ready to start thinking differently about the Arab world, switch off the news for a moment. Let me introduce you to five films I think you should watch

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