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Middle East

JIYAN

Director: Jano Rosebiani.
Five years following the infamous chemical and biological bombing of Halabja, Diyari, a Kurdish/ American good Samaritan, returns to his homeland to build an orphanage in what is left of Halabja. He meets Jiyan, a ten-year old orphan and a survivor of the chemical attack, doomed to live with a burn scar covering most of her right cheek.. A strong bond between the two ensues and later he names his orphanage after her. During the course of his stay in Halabja, Diyari meets a colorful bunch of townsfolk, many of whom remain physically and/or psychologically marked with the effects of the chemical agents. Among them is Jiyan's only living relative, Shérco, a twelve-year old who has also lost his family to the poison gas. While Shérco dreams of marrying her one day, Jiyan dreams of seeing flowers, a picture of which she finds on the back of a magazine. In addition to building the orphanage, Diyari brings a spark of hope and happiness to Shérco's and Jiyan's lives. However, this affair is short lived. As he leaves, the two orphans turn back to their lonely shells with very little light to look forward to - a familiar state of mind echoing throughout Halabja. Diyari departs with a promise to return, but now leaving a tearful Jiyan at the place where he first meet her - on a swing under a lonely tree on a small lonely hill.

Jiyan

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Five years following the infamous chemical and biological bombing of Halabja, Diyari, a Kurdish/ American good Samaritan, returns to his homeland to build an orphanage in what is left of Halabja. He meets Jiyan, a ten-year old orphan and a survivor of the chemical attack, doomed to live with a burn scar covering most of her right cheek.. A strong bond between the two ensues and later he names his orphanage after her. During the course of his stay in Halabja, Diyari meets a colorful...

Nashwa Al Ruwaini elected as member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

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Media Personality and CEO of UAE-based production company Pyramedia, Nashwa Al Ruwaini, was unanimously elected last week as a member of the prestigious International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. With over 20 years of experience in the television industry in the Middle East, Nashwa has built a massively successful reputation for content creation in the Middle East.  After 11 years of presenting and creating content for the Middle East Broadcasting corporation (MBC), Nashwa estab...

URGENT CALL: Kurdish Diaspora filmmakers in Europe

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URGENT CALL: Kurdish Diaspora in Europe For inclusion in a special Kinofilm programme as part of the Manchester  Kurdish Film Festival, Kino is seeking urgently, short films from Kurdish filmmakers residing in any part of Europe. This is special European programme to show how Kurdish filmmakers have intergrated into Western Film industry and to show participation between Kurdish / European filmmakers and collaborative co-productions. The programme is to take place in three weeks ...

13th NY Sephardic Jewish Film Festival Opening Night Premiere of “ZRUBAVEL”

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By Maria Esteves - February 12, 2009 The 13th New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (NYSJFF) 2009, Opening Night NY Premiere of ZRUBAVEL, directed by Shmuel Beru was held at the Center For Jewish History, Thursday, February 5, 7:00 PM.  A special performance by Israeli actress/singer "Meskie" and Q&A session with director Shmuel Beru preceded the Opening Night Reception. Presented by the American Sephardi Federation/Sephardic House and Yeshiva University Museum; sponsored by...

The 2009 New York Jewish Film Festival conclusion

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Concluding on January 29th after a two week run at Lincoln's Center Walter Read Theater and other venues, the 18th annual Jewish Film Festival presented 32 features and shorts from 17 countries. Covering aspects of past and present Jewish (and Israeli) experience, most of these productions had their New York premiere. Among the about 60 Jewish Film Festivals in the United States, the New York festival is rather influential and trend setting given its location and a captive Jewish audience. T...

IconTLV - Israel's International Fantastic Film Festival

The Icon Fantastic Film Festival is part of the Annual National Israeli Science Fiction and Fantasy festival, Icon. Icon is a highly respected festival in Israel, which features also role-playing, lectures and many other attractions.

Baghdad Film Festival

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The filmfestival had been canceled owing to the security situation in Baghdad.

New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival highlights

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A rare glimpse into the hidden secrets of Toledo, Spain. A heartbreaking drama about a Tunisian Jewish family in Paris. A poignant portrait of Iraq’s Jewish society. An introduction to a small Jewish community in Mumbai that believe s itself descended from one of the lost tribes of Israel. The story of an Ethiopian Jewish boy who dreams of being the Spike Lee of Israel. These are but a few of the fifteen films from fourteen countries being screened at this year’s gala 13th Annual New York Se...

More Iranian film reviews from Budapest

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Two War Films, "Cold Tears", 2004, and "Night Bus", 2007. The war between Sadam Hussein's Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran lasted nearly a decade, from 1980 to 1988, and was treated as a kind of side-show in the western press, but it was the main event in that part of the world and has provided fodder for countless Iranian films ever since. Two of these were presented in the current survey. Dated 2004 and 2007 these films show that nearly 20 years down the line this war is still far from a ...

Division and unity: Cinema in the Middle East Round-table

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The round-table discussion “Division and Unity: Cinema in the Middle East” took place on Tuesday, November 18th at Stavros Tornes theatre, as part of the 49th Thessaloniki’s International Film Festival spotlight on Middle Eastern cinema. According to Dr. Hassan Βadawy, professor of History and Archeology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Middle East is a land of extremities, of faith in faithlessness, of being dogmatic about being non-dogmatic. ‘The major question for filmmakers ...

Interview with Israel Film Festival founder Meir Fenigstein

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The IsraFest Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1982, created the Israel Film Festival to showcase Israel's thriving film and television industry. The annual event plays a vital educational role in today's world, providing an intercultural exchange that advances tolerance and understanding and enriches America's vision of Israel's impressive social and cultural diversity.Danny DeVito, Irwin Winkler and Edward Zwick will be honored at the 23rd edition of the festival at New Yo...

boston jewish poster

boston jewish poster     GEN X SPEAKS WITH A NEW VOICE   A New Generation of Filmmakers Explores Jewish Identity 2008 Boston Jewish Film Festival   NEWTON, Massachusetts - October 2, 2008 - Opening November 5 and continuing through November 16, the 20th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival reveals a new era of directors - from Generation X. These directors e

Gen X speaks with a new voice at Boston Jewish Fest

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Opening November 5 and continuing through November 16, the 20th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival reveals a new era of directors – from Generation X. These directors explore age-old issues surrounding the worldwide Jewish community, from the Holocaust to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and offer surprising and fresh insights and angles.“Gen X had its childhood in the 1980’s, a time of relative peace and affluence. Gen X grew up with the Cold War drawing to a close, Israel raising it...

MEIFF Abu Dhabi ready to open

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More than 130 films from 35 countries will be screened at the second edition of the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and being held over an expanded ten enthralling days from 10th to 19th October 2008 in Abu Dhabi.“MEIFF has positioned itself as one of the most important regional cinema events in a relatively short span of time,” said MEIFF’s Vice Chairman and ADACH’s Director General His Excellency Moh...

Boston Jewish Film Fest reveals a new era of directors

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Opening November 5 and continuing through November 16, the 20th annual Boston Jewish Film Festival reveals a new era of directors – from Generation X. These directors explore age-old issues surrounding the worldwide Jewish community, from the Holocaust to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – and offer surprising and fresh insights and angles.“Gen X had its childhood in the 1980’s, a time of relative peace and affluence. Gen X grew up with the Cold War drawing to a close, Israel raising it...

Highlight on Arab Women Directors at MEIFF

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MEIFF to the achievements of “Arab Women Directors” & showcases a strong line-up in the “retrospective” on PalestineThe Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is keeping up the momentum of its second edition with two of its most unique and important programmes: Arab Women Directors and a Retrospective on Palestine.Arab Women DirectorsThe Director of MEIFF, Nashwa Al Ruwaini explained that the Arab Women Dire...

Thessaloniki Spotlight on Middle East

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The main Spotlight of the 49th edition of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival centers on the current cinema of the Middle East. The Middle Eastern region, tantamount to political, religious and social struggles, lies in close geographical proximity to Greece and possesses vital contemporary political significance. It exhibits a cinematic diversity that creates portraits of many distinct histories, identities and conflicts and it is now more than ever revealing its issues and sentiments ...

Egyptian director Youssef Chahine, dies at 82

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Chahine was born into a Christian Egyptian family, a Greek mother and a father of Lebanese descent in Alexandria, Egypt,[2][3] on January 25, 1926.[1] Chahine began his education at a frères' school and continued his studies at the Victoria College. After one year at Alexandria University, he moved to the United States to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse.Starting as a directorAfter returning to Egypt, he turned his attention to directing. Cinematographer Alvise Orfanelli helped Chahine in...

Portland Jewish Fest line up

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The Northwest Film Center and the Institute for Judaic Studies present the 16th annual Portland Jewish Film Festival. The selection of films express specific Jewish experiences, resonate beyond their cultural inspiration and speak to ideas, experiences and issues that confront our common humanity. APRIL 3 THUR 7 PMFUGITIVE PIECESCANADA 2007DIRECTOR: JEREMY PODESWA Based on the international best-seller by Anne Michaels, FUGITIVE PIECES is a poetic and emotionally charged film about love, loss a...

12TH NY SEPHARDIC JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT US PREMIERE FILM “GOT NO JEEP AND MY CAMEL DIED”

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12TH NY SEPHARDIC JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT US PREMIERE FILM "GOT NO JEEP AND MY CAMEL DIED" By Maria Esteves - March 5, 2008 The New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival (NYSJFF) 2008, Opening Night US Premiere film GOT NO JEEP AND MY CAMEL DIED, directed by Ehud Tomalak, was held at the Center For Jewish History, Thursday, February 7, 7:30 PM. A special performance by Yair Dalal and Q&A session preceded the Opening Night Reception. Presented by the American Sephardi...

The New York 2008 Jewish Film Festival

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Considered to be with the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival among the most important Jewish Film Festivals in the United States, the New York Jewish Film Festival provides a significant platform for new features and documentaries about and from Jewish life in and outside of Israel. Held this year from January 9th to 24th it has retained its importance among the close to 60 US Jewish film festivals staged currently in the United States(not counting those specifically focused on the Holocaust and...

The New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival

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Launching it’s 12th Year The New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival continues To Explore the Cinema of this Rich and Diverse Culture:February 7-14, 2008The American Sephardic Federation/Sephardic House, in association with Yeshiva University Museum, announces the 2008 New York Sephardic Jewish Film Festival line up, celebrating a dozen years of exciting and thought provoking films. With the expansion to multiple locations, this one-of-a-kind event running February 7 – 14, 2008 will offer a...

Other Israel Film Festival to launch in NY

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The First Annual OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL will take place in New York City, November 8-15, 2007.  The event will be held at the JCC in Manhattan, Symphony Space and Cinema Village.20 percent of Israel's population is Arab. Muslim, Bedouin, Christian, and Druze from different ethnic, religious, cultural and social backgrounds are defined collectively as Arab Citizens of Israel.  Through a week-long festival of award-winning films, guest filmmakers, panel discussions, special gala events &...

Other Israel Film Festival to launch in NY

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OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL :NOVEMBER 8-15, 2007 ~ NEW YORK CITY The First Annual OTHER ISRAEL FILM FESTIVAL will take place in New York City, November 8-15, 2007. The event will be held at the JCC in Manhattan, Symphony Space and Cinema Village. 20 percent of Israel’s population is Arab. Muslim, Bedouin, Christian, and Druze from different ethnic, religious, cultural and social backgrounds are defined collectively as Arab Citizens of Israel. Through a week-long festival of award-winning film...

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