Festival director Pascale Fakhry remarks, "We've consistently connected in our cinemas."
ALFILM Festival Spotlights Palestine in 2023 Edition
The ALFILM Festival, a platform dedicated to showcasing Arab cinema in Berlin, is set to return for its 14th edition from April 24th to 30th. Founded in 2009 by Fadi Abdelnour, Issam Haddad, and Claudia Jubeh, the festival has grown from humble beginnings to become a significant event in Berlin's vibrant film culture.
Pascale Fakhry, the current director of ALFILM, joined the festival in 2008 when she moved to Berlin. She began working on a voluntary basis and reinvented herself in Berlin's cultural scene. For a long time, the festival operated with zero funding, with most of the team working without pay. However, in the last five years, the festival has received funding, allowing it to expand.
This year, the festival's focus is on Palestine in cinema. The 'Spotlight' section for 2023 will delve into the influence of Palestine on the history of cinema, exploring important topics of the moment. One of the films featured in this section is Bye Bye Tiberias, directed by Lina Soualem, which will open the festival. Another film, The Burdened by Amr Gamal from Yemen, is also part of the 2023 lineup.
In addition, a documentary from Iraq, My Lost Country, will be screened, offering a diverse range of perspectives from the Arab world. The festival is structured into two main sections: 'Selection,' which features contemporary films that are a maximum of two years old, and 'Spotlight,' which is a thematic section that addresses the most important topics of the moment.
The migration situation of Arabs in Germany has changed significantly in recent years due to the Syrian crisis and the Arab Spring. The festival's origin was born out of a lack of Arab films showing in Germany, and it seeks to offer a different perspective than mainstream media and public discourse on the Arab world.
More information about the 2023 ALFILM Festival can be found at alfilm.berlin. However, it remains unclear if the current tumult in Berlin's cultural sector will affect festivals like ALFILM. Nonetheless, the festival continues to provide a platform for a new generation of Arab filmmakers, many of whom are studying and starting their careers in Berlin.
The festival's dedication to showcasing Arab cinema and providing a platform for Arab voices remains as strong as ever. With a focus on Palestine in cinema, the 2023 ALFILM Festival promises to be an enlightening and thought-provoking event.
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