Arabic Movies

500 Dunam on the Moon

Ayn Hawd is a Palestinian village that was captured and depopulated by Israeli forces in the 1948 war. In 1953 Marcel Janco, a Romanian painter and a founder of the Dada movement, helped transform the village into a Jewish artists' colony, and renamed it Ein Hod. This documentary tells the story of the village's original inhabitants, who, after expulsion, settled only 1.5 kilometers away in the outlying hills. This new Ayn Hawd cannot be found on official maps, as Israeli law doesn't recognize it, and its residents, deemed 'present absentees' by the authorities, do not receive basic services such as water, electricity or an access road.

Adrift on the Nile

In 'Adrift on the Nile' we meet a group of hedonistic middle-aged friends who gather each night on a luxurious houseboat for dancing, love-making and smoking hashish. When a young news reporter visits the houseboat to write a story on the group, she is outraged to learn the tragic depths of their social alienation. Based on the novel by the Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz, this 1971 production offers a revealing look at the Egyptian elite on the eve of the 1967 War. By this time, Nasser had ushered in an age of enormous social change, leaving the sons and daughters of the old bourgeoisie high and dry.

Afghan Villager, The

Ajami

AJAMI is a bold new crime drama set on the margins of an Arab ghetto in the Israeli city of Jaffa that 'could almost be in the Los Angeles of 'Boyz N the Hood,' the Baltimore of 'The Wire' or the Rio de Janeiro of 'City of God.'(New York Times). Working with a cast of non-actors in the real streets, back alleys, nightclubs and rooftops of Ajami itself, co-directors Yaron Shani and Scandar Copti have crafted a 'stunning' (New York Magazine) film that deftly meshes characters and conflicts with unsentimental compassion, uncompromising realism, and harrowing violence.

Alexandria Again and Forever

the film explores Yehia's obsession with his young star, Amir, while participating in the general strike of 1987. As Yehia fantasizes about the films they would make together (one of them looks like a loony take on Jesus Christ Superstar), he elevates Amir from a kind of adopted son to cinematic messiah. But while caught up in the strike, Yehia becomes enchanted by a former actress turned dedicated revolutionary, and he decides to cast her in his next feature.

Alexandria...Why?

Set against the panoramic backdrop of war-torn Egypt, director Youssef Chahine tells a highly personal tale of love and determination. Amid the poverty, death and suffering caused by World War II, 18 year-old Yehia, retreats into a private world of fantasy and longing. Obsessed with Hollywood, he dreams of one day studying filmmaking in America, but after falling in love and discovering the lies of European occupation, Yehia profoundly reevaluates his identity and allegiances.

Ali Zaoua

A group of children living on the street leave their gang, prompting retribution from the gang's leader. After one of the children dies, the rest try to come up with the resources to give their friend a proper burial.

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Emmi, a German woman in her mid-sixties, falls in love with Ali, a Moroccan immigrant worker around twenty-five years younger. When they abruptly decide to marry, everyone around them seems appalled. When the folks calm down a bit, Emmi and Ali's relationship grows uncertain.

All is Well on the Border Front

Issues of representation within the occupied zone of South Lebanon are explored in this documentary. The film's three staged interviews with Lebanese prisoners in Israel illustrate aspects of life under occupation with convincing poignancy.

Amreeka

The adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small town Illinois. In America, as her son navigates high school hallways the way he used to move through military checkpoints, the indomitable Muna scrambles together a new life cooking up falafel burgers as well as hamburgers at the local White Castle. Told with heartfelt humor by writer-director Cherien Dabis in her feature film debut, Amreeka is a universal journey into the lives of a family of immigrants and first-generation teenagers caught between their heritage and the new world in which they now live and the bittersweet search for a place to call home. Amreeka recalls Dabis's family's memories of their lives in rural America during the first Iraq War.

An Egyptian Story (Hadduta Misrija)

Famed Egyptian director Yehia falls ill with a heart condition that requires surgery. During the operation, a child embodying his conscience accuses him of betraying his ideals. A metamorphic trial ensues in which various witnesses offer their testimony about 'the defendant.' These proceedings force the filmmaker to come to terms with hidden emotions involving his life, his work and his country. Yehia's conscience loses the trial and a redundant organ is expelled from his body. But will this loss be fatal?

Arabian Sinbad Treasure Chest

The Arabian Sinbad Treasure Chest is an Arabic learning package designed with the native and non-native Arabic speaker in mind. This package is a complete educational kit designed to teach children a wide array of Arabic vocabulary. The kit includes: Nine DVDs (two-12-15 minutes episodes per DVD) and one Vocabulary review DVD (over 60 minutes) for a total of 10 DVDs. That is not all. It comes with supplementary tools such as: two activity books, an illustrated dictionary, one interactive CD-ROM game, one sing-a-long CD, puzzle, flash cards and more. Speaking only in Arabic, the Arabian Sinbad animated episodes utilize the Total Immersion Method. This approach is a well established teaching system that has long been used by both educators and language experts, and advocates immersing a child in a new language. With the Arabian Sinbad animated episodes, children are introduced into a world where only Arabic is spoken in a correct, native accent, which helps them develop an ear for the Arabic language. The supplementary tools are bilingual to further reinforce the Arabic vocabulary learned in the episodes. These tools come with easy-to-use transliterations and translation. Adults found it useful to learn Arabic as well.

Arabic Alphabet: Learn Arabic Letters (Part 2) Educational Modern Standard Arabic (Ages 3- 8)

This child centered Arabic DVD series offers a unique blend of education and entertainment of children from ages of 3-8.
TWS consists of 9 themes In each episode Tareq and Shireen and their group of friends have fun exploring the different subjects with singing and music, imagination and curiosity.
The story lines reinforce positive behavior, good deeds, love and understanding. The stories introduce our Arabian ancestors and teach children positive values, history through fables, norms and traditions, love for the land, and acceptance of others regardless of ethnicity and differences. The characters model different backgrounds, that portray the diversity within the Arab culture, socioeconomic conditions, gender and age. The episodes focus on problem solving skills, discovery learning, and using their imaginations. The themes were researched and developed by a team of bilingual education specialists.

Attack, The

Amin Jaafari's picture-perfect life is turned upside down when a suicide bombing leaves nineteen dead, and the Israeli police inform him that his wife Sihem, who also died in the explosion, was responsible.

Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, The

In a time when East and West do not seem to understand each other, top stand-up comics of Middle Eastern descent Ahmed Ahmed, Aron Kader, and Maz Jobrani take it upon themselves to single-handedly bridge the gap with an original comedy tour that has become one of the hottest concert tickets in the country.Special guest Dean Obeidallah , who's appeared on 'Saturday Night Live' 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien' and is a founder of the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival, joins the 'Axis of Evil' creators for this sold-out, no-holds-barred event that has made headlines everywhere from CNN to Newsweek.Nothing is off-limits. Whether it's gay terrorists or the difficulty of flying in post 9/11 America, The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour blasts stereotypes with outrageous humor.

Battle of Algiers, The

One of the most influential films in the history of political cinema, Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers focuses on the harrowing events of 1957, a key year in Algeria’s struggle for independence from France. Shot in the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film vividly recreates the tumultuous Algerian uprising against the occupying French in the 1950s. As violence escalates on both sides, the French torture prisoners for information and the Algerians resort to terrorism in their quest for independence. Children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés. The French win the battle, but ultimately lose the war as the Algerian people demonstrate that they will no longer be suppressed. The Criterion Collection is proud present Gillo Pontecorvo’s tour de force—a film with astonishing relevance today.

Being Osama

Being Osama is an intimate exploration of six men with highly diverse backgrounds, interests and personalities, united by their first names and their experiences as Arabs living in Canada in the post-9/11 world. Shot against the cultural backdrop of Montreal, the film follows the six Osamas from the time of the American invasion of Iraq in March of 2003 to the anti-WTO demonstrations in late July of the same year. Touching on subjects as diverse as Arab names, rock-n-roll, religion, Middle East politics, weddings, funerals and the meaning of identity, Being Osama is a sensitive and thoughtful portrait of six unique individuals and of the new Canada in which they live.

Beirut: The Last Home Movie

New Yorker Gaby Bustros travels to war-torn Beirut to reunite with her upper-class Lebanese family, composed of a widowed mother, a younger brother and two sisters. Filmmaker Jennifer Fox traces middle child Gaby's journey of self-discovery back to her birthplace -- currently in the throes of a bloody civil war -- and presents an apparent disconnect between the relative affluence of the Bustros family and the political realities of wartime Lebanon.

Blackboards

A group of male teachers crossesma the mountainous paths of the remote Iranian Kurdistan region. They wander from village to village in search of students, carrying large blackboards on their backs, sometimes using them as shelter, camouflage and as shields for gunfire. One teacher ventures away from the group and meets up with a group of young boys who are carrying contraband across the border. Another teacher comes upon a group of old refugees who want to return to their village in Kurdistan, which was chemically attacked by the Iraqis. The teachers must also face other hardships and obstacles along the way, including unseen enemy helicopters and gunfire. Samira Makhmalbaf's award-winning film is a visually powerful and compelling depiction of a group of people who must battle for survival every day of their lives.

Blood of My Brother, The

While volunteering to guard the ancient mosque in Kadhimiya, Ra'ad, an Iraqi portrait photographer, is shot and killed by an American patrol. His brother Ibrahim dreams of revenge.

Bride Market of Imilchil, The

In September, in Morocco's Atlas mountains, at the shrine of St. Sidi Ougalmani, Berbers hold their three-day bride market. Men and women, participants and observers, talk about what they look for in a spouse, what might go wrong in marriage, and why divorce takes place (a simple procedure available equally to women and men). The market is one of the few places in Morocco women have a say about whom they marry. We see them dress, plait their hair, arrange their hat, and go to the shrine. A woman accepts a proposal if the man 'captures her liver,' the source of affection. Since the 1970s, the Moroccan tourist bureau has promoted the event, bringing tourists but fewer Berbers.

Brothers & Others and Noam Chomsky: On Power, Dissent and Racism

By presenting interviews with government officials, legal experts and historians, Brothers and Others examines the plight of Muslims and Arabs in the United States during the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. The film follows several individuals and families as they are forced to confront the heightened climate of distrust, rigorous F.B.I. and I.N.S. investigations and economic hardships that swept across the country following the attacks. A riveting historical document, Brothers and Others vividly illustrates how fear and paranoia can result in the passage of reactionary governmental policies that compromise civil liberties and endanger the human rights of immigrants and citizens for years to come.

Caramel

Just like the name suggests, Caramel lets you discover the sweetness of life. It tells the tale of five female friends with an appetite for life and a taste for love. Centred around a Beirut beauty salon owned by thirty-something Layale [Nadine Labaki], this colourful and sensual microcosm is where several generations of women come into contact, talk and confide in each other. Beautiful Layale is oblivious to the gaze of a local admirer and instead fixates on a married man, Nisrine [Yasmine Al Masri] will soon be married but is afraid her fianc will discover he isnt her first lover. Rima [Joanna Moukarzel] has designs on one of her stunning customers. Jamal [Gisele Aouad] is an aspiring actress and is refusing to grow old, while ageing Rose [Siham Haddad] is overwhelmed when she discovers true love for the first time. Cultural rites and societies expectations clash with personal desires and a sense of rebellion. Written, directed and starring superstar of tomorrow Nadine Labaki, Caramel has become a hit across both Europe and Australia. Audiences have embraced this delicious take on life, with Caramel not depicting a war-ravaged Beirut of focusing on Middle East politics. Rather, its about people and the heartaches that have a way of transcending language and culture. As the women share in each others experiences and emotions, the salon become a vibrant hub of friendship and wisdom, with conversations of men, sex and motherhood between haircuts and sugar waxing.

Children of Ibdaa, The

A Palestinian children s dance troupe from a West Bank refugee camp uses its performance to express the history, struggle, and aspirations of the Palestinian people. Through interviews and documentation of the children, ages 12 to 14, the video offers insight into their families displacement from their villages in historical Palestine, the physically and emotionally stressful aspects of life in a refugee camp, and the unique experience of participating in the politically motivated dance troupe. The story culminates in a visit for the first time to demolished villages from which their grandparents were expelled in 1948.

Chronicle of a Disappearance

'With a strong sense of irony and a deadpan visual style' (Janet Maslin, The New York Times), Chronicle of a Disappearance unfolds in a series of seemingly unconnected cinematic tableaux, each of them focused on incidents or characters which seldom reappear later in the film. Among the many unrelated scenes, there is a Palestinian actress struggling to find an apartment in West Jerusalem, the owner of the Holy Land souvenir shop preparing merchandise for incoming Japanese tourists, a group of old women gossiping about their relatives, and an Israeli police van which screeches to a halt so several heavily armed soldiers can get off the car and urinate. Defined by writer/producer/director Elia Suleiman (Divine Intervention) as a 'search for what it means to be Palestinian,' this 'beautiful and understated' film is 'a triumph of succinct images and adroit structure' (Kevin Thomas, LA Times). Split in two parts, Nazareth Personal Diary and Jerusalem Political Diary, Chronicle features outstanding performances by a cast of non-professional actors and combines a sarcastic sense of humor with moments of silent contemplation; it speaks of the absurdity and complexity of a people without a land. but if the project of a Palestinian state remains stalled by a series of historical and political complications, Palestinian cinema has been, conversely, celebrated for several major contributions to world cinema. And while Chronicle of a Disappearance was shot in various locations across the Middle-East, it succeeds in evoking several fundamental issues concerning the post-1948 Palestinian struggle for a recognizable national identity.

Cities of Light

Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain takes viewers on an epic journey back into one of the most fascinating and important periods of world history. It tells a story of vital importance for our contemporary world about the triumphs and shortcomings, achievements and ultimate failures of a centuries-long period when Muslims, Christians, and Jews inhabited the same far corner of Western Europe and built a society that lit the Dark Ages.
The lemon tree, the water wheel, and Aristotle’s lost philosophy all arrived in Europe through Islamic Spain, as did algebra and the beginnings of modern medicine, science, and poetry. Here were the very roots of the European Renaissance.

Closed Doors, The

Directed by Youssef Chahine's longtime assistant, The Closed Doors touches on several taboos in contemporary Egyptian society, examining their social and political implications. Set during the Gulf War, it tells the story of Mohamad, a highly impressionable young man who embraces fundamentalist ideas as a way of dealing with the confusion of adolescence and sexual awakening. This powerful first feature by one of Egypt's most promising young directors tackles complex themes like oppression, jealousy, virtue, the love ideal and violence in an uncompromising way.

Color of Olives, The

Like many Palestinian families, the Amers live surrounded by the infamous West Bank Wall where their daily lives are dominated by electrified fences, locks and a constant swarm of armed soldiers. Through director Carolina Rivas' sensitive lens, we discover the private world of all eight members of the family. As their dramas unfold, we catch a glimpse of their constant struggles and the small, endearing details that sustain them, including olive trees, two small donkeys and their many friendships. Constructed with a combination of verité scenes and re-enactments, this poignant and richly crafted film offers its audience a much needed opportunity to reflect on the effects of racial segregation, the meaning of borders and the absurdity of war.

Control Room

A chronicle which provides a rare window into the international perception of the Iraq War, courtesy of Al Jazeera, the Arab world's most popular news outlet. Roundly criticized by Cabinet members and Pentagon officials for reporting with a pro-Iraqi bias, and strongly condemned for frequently airing civilian causalities as well as footage of American POWs, the station has revealed (and continues to show the world) everything about the Iraq War that the Bush administration did not want it to see

Crimson Gold

Award-winning filmmaker Jafar Panahi's (The White Balloon, The Circle) latest triumph is an intimate and absorbing drama about the ways in which the hypocrisies and slights of daily life can push otherwise reasonable people over the edge. Based on true events and written by acclaimed director Abbas Kiarostami (A Taste of Cherry), CRIMSON GOLD is the story of Hussein, a humble pizza deliveryman who feels continually humiliated by the injustices he sees all around him. When his friend Ali finds a receipt for a stranger's necklace purchase, Hussein is stunned by its exceptionally high cost. He knows that his pitiful salary will never be enough to afford such a luxury. Soon after, he and Ali are refused entry to an uptown jewelry store because of their scruffy appearances; his rage over this slight sets off a series of events. But Hussein will taste the luxurious life for one night before his deep feelings of humiliation push him over the edge. DVD extras include: 5.1, trailer, subtitle control, weblinks, Interview with director Jafar Panahi

Crossing Borders

'Crossing Borders' follows four Moroccan and four American university students as they travel together through Morocco and - in the process of discovering 'The Other' - discover themselves. With group travels and frank discussions, the students confront the complex implications of the supposed 'clash of civilizations' between Islam and the West. The relationships formed through shared experiences contrast sharply with the media-shaped views Americans and Muslims have of each other. Humor, honesty and a willingness to be challenged all bring individuals closer to each other and the relationships that develop disarm hidden stereotypes.

Cup Final

It's June, 1982. Israel has just invaded Lebanon. Unfortunately, this action takes place while the World Cup soccer tournament is held in Spain. Cohen (Moshe Ivgi), an Israeli reserve soldier, has tickets for the games in Barcelona, but he is stuck in South Lebanon, seeking out the enemy. Things go from bad to worse for him when he is captured by a band of retreating PLO soldiers en route to Beirut. Cohen's only solace is that the PLO leader, Ziad (Muhamed Bacri), shares his passion for the Italian national soccer team and as they travel through the war-torn country side they stop periodically to follow the action.

Daresalam

In a small Central African village, boyhood friends Djimi and Koni have come of age under a post-colonial government that levies crippling taxes and legally robs local farmers of their meager crops. When impulsive Koni savagely attacks a visiting government official, the resulting massacre forces the two friends on a journey that will transform them from boys into men, from farmers into soldiers and from villagers into revolutionaries. 'We fight in one world so we can live in another,' declares Koni as the two battle shoulder to shoulder against government troops. But while Koni embraces the politics and carnage of their dangerous new guerilla existence, Djimi longs for the simplicity and grace of the village life they've left behind. As the rebels move closer to victory, the two friends move closer to a clash of their own.

Daughters Of Chicago (Benaat Chicago)

Addresses stereotypes and racism toward Arabs and Arab women, while showing what makes many Arab-Americans proud of their cultural heritage.

David

As the son of the Imam of the local Brooklyn mosque, eleven year-old Daud has to juggle the high expectations of his Father (Maz Jobrani) and his feelings of isolation and difference– even from his peers in the Muslim community. Through an innocent act of good faith, Daud inadvertently befriends a group of Jewish boys who mistake him as a fellow classmate at their orthodox school, in the neighboring Jewish community. A genuine friendship grows between Daud and Yoav, one of the Jewish boys, and his family. Unable to resist the joy of a camaraderie that he has never felt before, David, as he is known to the kids, is drawn into a complicated dilemma inspired by youthful deceit and the best of intentions.

Days and Nights

This romantic musical-drama from director Henri Barakat (The Nightingale's Prayer) features legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez in one of his earliest film roles. He stars as Yehia, a handsome young athlete who succeeds in every endeavor despite having been reared in an unhappy home. When Yehia starts courting the beautiful Samia (Lebanese actress Iman), his delinquent and resentful stepbrother begins acting out in ways that threaten to destroy all chances for the new couple's happiness.

Divine Intervention

At the center of the Middle East conflict, hearts beat in tragic comedy and deadpan irony: a sexy young Palestinian woman defies Israeli soldiers and struts through a check-point as if it were the catwalk of a fashion show, Santa Claus is chased up the sun-drenched hills of Nazareth by a gang of knife-wielding school kids, Israeli police use a blindfolded prisoner to provide directions to tourists in Jerusalem, a Palestinian collaborator casually extinguishes his firebombed house on a daily basis, and a female ninja descends from the sky, holding the map of ‘Palestine’ as her battle shield. These are but a few of the provocative images that filmmaker Elia Suleiman puts forth in his critically-acclaimed satire chronicling the absurdities of life and love on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli border, DIVINE INTERVENTION.

Dreams of Sparrows, The

The Dreams of Sparrows follows first time Iraqi director Hayder Mousa Daffar and his team of contributing directors as they share their vision of life in Baghdad, post war and pre reconstruction. It is his attempt to reconcile the conflicting points of view among Iraqis regarding the war, Saddam Hussein and the occupation; the process of which ultimately changes him and his crew irrevocably.

Driving an Arab Street

Driving an Arab Street takes the viewer on a journey along the 'Arab street,' a monolithic term pundits use to describe Arab sentiment, to find out what people are actually saying about the West and America. The film follows Egyptian taxi drivers as they navigate the streets of Cairo and share their diverse perspectives on American and Egyptian society, culture, politics and the relationship between these two civilizations. Driving an Arab Street is Arthur Hurley's first documentary film. He first went to Egypt in 1999 to study Arabic at the American University in Cairo. After working briefly as a reporter in California, Hurley returned to Cairo to work as a freelance writer, continue his Arabic studies and make a documentary that would give insight into Arab and Western relations.

Druze, The

This incisive documentary explores the culture, religion, and history of the Druze, a band of monotheistic Muslims who devote themselves to a Fatiamid Caliph of the 10th century named Al-Hakim. Lebanese Religions - The Druze movie As a minority religion, they have suffered much persecution and racism, yet have prevailed against the odds and been able to preserve and maintain their rich, complex religious and cultural beliefs. Lebanese Religions - The Druze video A fine and compelling compilation of personal interviews, archival footage, and rare documents, this film introduces viewers to a little known religious faction.

Emigrant, The

The biblical tale of Joseph is told from an Egyptian perspective in this interesting character study. In this film, Joseph is called Ram. Ram, tired of his family's backward superstitious life, and tired of being picked on by his brothers, wants to go to Egypt to study agriculture. His brothers travel with him across Sinai, but then suddenly sell him to Ozir, an Egyptian who works for a Theban military leader, Amihar. Amihar is impressed by Ram's drive and personal charm and so grants Ram some desolate land outside the capital. Ram soon finds himself a pawn in the political and sexual games between Amihar and his wife Simihit, a high priestess of the Cult of Amun.

English Sheik and the Yemeni Gentleman, The

This lyrical film introduces us to Bader Ben Hirsi, a British-born Yemeni living in London after his parents exile from Yemen. Bader returns to Yemen to re-discover his country, its people and traditions. Under the guiding hand of eccentric Englishman Tim Makintosh-Smith, who has been living as a Yemeni in the ancient city of Sana'a for the past 16 years, Ben Hirsi travels throughout his ancestral homeland. Exquisitely filmed by award-winning cinematographer Koutaiba Al Janabi, The English Sheik and the Yemeni Gentleman chronicles their interaction and emerging friendship as they explore the beautiful Yemen countryside.

Fables of Bah ya Bah

Come Experience a taste of international folklore that is entertaining for the whole family! Fables of Bah ya Bah is a collection of the most splendid short stories from the Middle East. The ingenious adaptation of these stories into animation highlights lifelong values such as teamwork, positive attitude, good will, and compassion for animals. Fables of Bah Ya Bah is packed with six different short stories, each fable concludes with a powerful musical rendition that reinforces the moral of the story. Fables of Bah Ya Bah will have everyone singing along with its catchy tunes long after the movie is over! Soon to be the talk of the town, invite all of your friends to experience Bah Ya Bah with you!'

Fables of Bah Ya Bah 2

The amazing sequel to Fables of Bah Ya Bah, Fables of Bah Ya Bah 2 teaches four new meaningful lessons in life. The DVD teaches lessons about being kind that crime never pays the power of unity, and learning from mistakes and ends with a song that reinforces the lesson learned in the story. Also comes loaded with many special features such as deleted scenes, movie previews, and much more.

Fatma

Legendary diva Umm Kulthum stars in this classic film about a poor nurse who falls in love with the son of one of her wealthy patients. Abandoned by her husband while pregnant, she must fight her husband's wealthy and powerful family in court.

Fertile Memory

Grandmother Romia fights an unending legal battle with the Zionist authorities who confiscated her ancestral land soon after the Israeli occupation in 1947. With her family scattered all over the globe while she works in an Israeli factory, Romia doggedly maintains a dignity and passion that for her are the difference between mere subsistence and tenacious survival. Sahar Khalifeh, a divorced novelist and young mother living in the West Bank, struggles to maintain a modern role for herself within her increasingly intolerant occupation community. Representing both contemporary Arab womanhood and vanguard Palestinian conscience, Sahar must balance the changes in her world after the Six Day War with the changes in herself since achieving personal emancipation.

Forget Baghdad: Jews and Arabs - The Iraqi Connection

Samir, the Swiss son of an Iraqi Arab Communist, travels to Tel Aviv to talk to older Iraqi Jews, his father's comrades, about 'what it's like to become the enemy of your own past.' Grainy video and gimmicky editing give this documentary an amateurish feel, but Samir's charming, rueful interlocutors shine through. Secular intellectuals, they praise the vanished cosmopolitan Iraq of their youth and bite the Zionist hand that brought them 'from a palace to a tent,' as Moshe Houri, a former kiosk owner, says. Their experience of anti-Mizrachi (Middle Eastern Jew) discrimination, and their leftist rejection of Zionism, place them outside Israel's heroic national story, shown through chipper British newsreels and popular Israeli films

Friday's Soldiers

One of the major filmmakers of Iran's New Wave, Massoud Kimiai directs this haunting drama about four soldiers who come to Tehran on leave. Accompanied by their commanding officer, the soldiers experience life-changing adventures that reveal the sights and sounds of modern-day Tehran. The film reunites Mohammad Reza Forutan and Marila Zare'ee from Tahmineh Milani's TWO WOMEN.

Gaza Strip

In January of 2001, American director James Longley traveled to the Gaza Strip. His plan was to stay for two weeks to collect preliminary material for a documentary film on the Palestinian Intifada. It was during his stay that Ariel Sharon was elected as Israeli Prime Minister. As violence erupted around him, Longley threw away his return ticket and filmed for the next three months, acquiring nearly 75 hours of footage. Gaza Strip, his first feature documentary, is an extraordinary and painful journey into the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip struggling with the day-to-day trials of the Israeli occupation. Filmed in verité style and without narration, Gaza Strip at last gives voice to a population largely ignored by mainstream media.

George Meliels: Palace of the Arabian Nights

A poor but honest young man wins the hand of a beautiful Princess after facing a series of exciting adventures involving apparitions, cartwheeling skeletons, a dragon, and plump dancing girls from the Folies Bergere.

Glass and a Cigarette, A

Directed by Niazi Mostafa and based on a story by Abdel Aziz Salam, A Glass And A Cigarette is a captivating classic from the golden age of Egyptian cinema. The film features several of the era s brightest stars, including the illustrious Samia Gamal as Hoda, a famous dancer who gives up the spotlight to marry and start a family with Mamdouh, a handsome young doctor who is just beginning his career. When Mamdouh's scheming Italian head nurse Yolanda (played with gusto by the radiant Dalida) sets her sights on Mamdouh, Hoda's jealousy drives her to drink, ultimately endangering everything she holds dear.

Gods And Men, Of

In 1996, in Algeria, eight French monks of The Monastery Notre-Dame de l'Atlas of Tibhirine have a simple life serving the poor community that was raised around the monastery. During the Algerian Civil War, they are threatened by terrorists but they decide to stay in the country and not return to France.

Good Kurds, Bad Kurds

A war of national liberation or a war against terrorism? Filmmaker and acclaimed freelance journalist Kevin McKiernan poses this question at the outset of this stirring, provocative film shot in part by legendary director/cinematographer Haskell Wexler (Medium Cool). It's all in how you define 'good' and 'bad.' 'Good Kurds' are those in Iraq: They're Saddam Hussein's victims, whom we want to help. 'Bad Kurds' are those waging an armed insurrection against Turkey, an American ally: They're at the receiving end of U.S. weaponry.

Growing Up Arab Female: Benaat Chicago

A thought provoking and insightful documentary that shows a part of the Chicago community that is often not made visible. This documentary addresses stereotypes and racism towards Arabs and Arab women, while showing what makes Arab Americans proud of their cultural heritage

Gulf War What Next

In the early 1990s, five leading Arab film directors were asked to create a short work that expressed their thoughts and feelings about the first Gulf War and its impact on Arab people, culture and intellectual thought. The Gulf War, What Next? is the revealing and rewarding feature-length collection of these five impressive short works.

Hakim Belabbes Shorts

Halffaouine

Hidden Wars of Desert Storm

On August 2nd, 1990, Saddam Hussein launched his troops against Kuwait, triggering the first major international crisis of the post-Soviet Union era. But was this invasion a surprise in the first place? Were all diplomatic means really utilized to try to resolve the issue peacefully? Was there any threat from the part of Iraq against Saudi Arabia or against any of the other Gulf states? Why wasn't Washington's rhetoric against Saddam ever matched by any real support to the Iraqi opposition groups? What purpose can the embargo over Iraq serve if it is not to weaken Saddam Hussein, a result it has evidently failed to achieve to this day? What is true behind this mysterious 'Gulf War Syndrome' that goes on affecting hundreds of thousands of Gulf War veterans and local populations and more and more of them every day? A two-year investigation, 'Hidden Wars of Desert Storm' brings answers to all of these questions, basing itself on documents never seen before on television and backed by interviews of such prominent personalities as Desert Storm Commander, General Norman Schwarzkopf, former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark, former UN Iraq Program Director Denis Halliday, former UNSCOM team-leader Scott Ritter and many others. A large selection of archival footage, moving images recently brought back from Iraq, an original soundtrack scored by acclaimed composer Fritz Heede and the narration by two-time British Academy Award-winner, actor John Hurt, all contribute to making 'Hidden Wars of Desert Storm' a fast-paced, informative documentary while resolutely accessible to a general audience.

Hijacking Catastrophe

Left-leaning documentary filmmakers Jeremy Earp and Sut Jhally present their case that the neo-conservative members of President George W. Bush's administration, including Vice-President Dick Cheney, saw in the 9/11 terrorist attacks an opportunity to force their ideological beliefs on a frightened nation. Interviews with leftist thinkers like Noam Chomsky, Michael Franti and Daniel Ellsberg buttress the central thesis that the Bush administration used the crisis for their own political ends.

Honey & Ashes

'Honey and Ashes' tells the stories of three women from contemporary North Africa. Caught between tradition and modernity, they seek success in their lives and in their relationships with men. Although their age and social backgrounds differ, their paths cross, bringing to light the multiple obstacles which society has placed in their way.

Horse of God, The (Les Chevaux de Dieu)

In Horses of God, Nabil Ayouch tells the story of two young soccer-loving friends, Yachine and Nabil, growing up under the fierce protection of Yachine's older brother, Hamid. But in the sprawling slums of Sidi Moumen, not even Hamid can defend them against the harshness and injustice of the life that surrounds them. Fed up with that life, Hamid throws a rock at a police car and earns himself two years in prison. When he returns, an eerie calm masks his newfound zealotry, and his fundamentalist friends seem to exercise a powerful influence. Inspired by the real-life 2003 terrorist attacks in Casablanca, Ayouch's film is a thoughtful and affecting inquiry into how ordinary people come to do desperate, unfathomable things.

House Is Black

A revelation of staggering force, lyrically composed by one of the leading poets of the 20th century, Forough Farrokhzad. Her first and only film, it depicts the lives and bodies of people tragically deformed by leprosy. A film of stirring and powerful images, and a beautifully, tragically poetic narration that heavily influenced the modern Iranian cinema of Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf.

I Exist

Gay people exist in Armenia, Syria, Iran, Egypt and Sudan too. They are Christians, Muslims and Jews, belonging to and rejected by their own cultures. In this series of interview we learn a bit about their lives and hear a few critiques of western media and its oversimplified, often negative depictions of these peoples and cultures.

In My Own Skin

'In My Own Skin' is a meditation on the complexities of the Arab American experience through candid interviews with five young Arab women living in New York in October 2001.

Inner Tour

Controversially divisive in the Israeli press for its sympathetic portrayal of Palestinian citizens, THE INNER TOUR is a fascinating and humanistic portrait of ordinary people caught up in one of the most emotionally painful and seemingly intractable national conflicts of our time. Just months before the second Intifada (uprising) began in 2000, Israeli director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz (with his Israeli and Palestinian co-producers) filmed a group of West Bank Palestinians on a three-day bus tour to Israel, where many of the passengers once lived. Their weekend trip becomes an extremely charged journey of deep emotional distances and contradicting realities as the travelers interact with ordinary Israelis and visit places that they feel simultaneously rooted to and alienated from. Their contemplative observations of and encounters with the country they are visiting lie at the heart of this piercingly resonant documentary.

Insan (Human Being)

A loner ex-cop driven by his need for vengeance, no one, nothing, is able to penetrate his shell. Not even the love of Meghna who hopes in vain that her love will make him forget his pain. As he drives his rickshaw through the streets of Bombay. Amjad still scours the thousands of faces on the streets looking for his brother Azhar who went missing years ago. Amjad tries in vain to hide his pain with his love for Hina. But how do you dilute the pain of such a personal loss? Ambition brought Avinash Kapoor to Bombay, the same ambition that drew Indu; the ambition to become a film star. To find glamour, fame, success and wealth. Instead they found each other. Ajit Rathor. Avinash Kapoor, Amjad, Three different men with three different missions. Find now that their worlds are linked by a secret which will change them forever. Three men are going to find that the very qualities that made them human; Hate. Sorrow. Despair. Love. Pain. Ambition. Hope. Are going to make them cross the line struggle to remain human. To remain Insaan.....

Introduction to the Arab World

Cantrasts factors that unite all Arabs w/ those unique to each region in the Arab world.

IRAQ FOR SALE: THE WAR PROFITEERS

The story of what happens to everyday Americans when corporations go to war.

Iron Island

Squatters, mostly Arabs in Persia, live on a mothballed oil tanker in the Persian Gulf. The children attend a school on board; men harvest scrap metal and old oil in the hull; women keep house and raise children. Captain Nemat runs things with an iron hand, orienting new residents, keeping the books, negotiating with new buyers who may want to scrap the ship, arranging things, keeping discipline. We follow a lad who rescues fish trapped in the hull, an old man who stares at the sun, the idealistic teacher, and Ahmad, the Captain's assistant who has fallen in love with a young woman whose father wants to marry her to someone of means. What future has this sinking city?

Islam Empire of Faith

Islam: Empire of Faith

THE OTTOMANS reveals the dramatic transformation of Islam after the Mongol invasion. Nomads enlisted to fight the Mongols stake their own claims and become known as Ottomans, pushing the Islamic world westward into Christian territories. Suleyman the Magnificent shapes the Ottomans into a military powerhouse; his wealthy, sophisticated empire threatens European power centers and Persian Safavids, before falling victim to enemies from within.

Jar A Tale from the East, The

The Jar: A Tale From the East is a Syrian feature-length animated Islamic movie that was made in 2001. The movie itself is based on a true story that was narrated over 1400 years ago during the early Islamic

Jenin Jenin

Jenin Jenin, directed and co-produced by Palestinian actor and director Mohamed Bakri, includes testimony from Jenin residents after the Israeli army's Defensive Wall operation, during which the city and camp were the scenes of fierce fighting. The operation ended with Jenin flattened and scores of Palestinians dead. Palestinians as well as numerous human rights groups accused Israel of committing war crimes in the April 2002 attack on the refugee camp. Jenin Jenin shows the extent to which the prolonged oppression and terror has affected the state of mind of the Palestinian inhabitants of Jenin.

Kuwait Connection

Filmed in the style of such Hollywood action classics as Bullitt and The French Connection, the first image we see in Wolves Don't Eat Meat is through the scope of a rooftop sniper's rifle just before he makes a kill. A frantic chase through the streets of town follows as the assassin, Anwar, makes his getaway. Wounded and exhausted, Anwar stumbles into the home of a stranger where he is allowed to recuperate and his story unfolds. We learn that he was once an ambitious journalist who has been transformed into a slaughterer of men by the years of war, suffering and destruction he has witnessed around the world - starting with the massacre at Deir Yassin in Palestine. A message film about good vs. evil and the negative effects of violence, Wolves Don't Eat Meat nevertheless employs the trademark sex, violence and bloodshed popularized in Hollywood action films of the 1970s, a style that later influenced the films of directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone.

Lady of the Black Moons, The

In the depths of loneliness and despair, beautiful Aida visits her 'tailor,' Victoria, a woman who runs a sensual house where erotic fantasies are fulfilled. After satisfying her desires in the arms of one of Victoria's young men, Aida has a haunting nightmare where she envisions herself as a witch who, during a full moon, has the power to destroy her lovers' sensitivity. This disturbing dream sends Aida into a downward spiral of self-destruction. When Aida finally loses her will to live and all hope for salvation, she longs to purify herself and find forgiveness for her sins. Reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and the stylishly erotic films of Radley Metzger, The Lady of the Black Moons emerged from an era of relaxed censorship in Egypt.

Last Supper, The

In this searing domestic drama about a very unique love triangle, a professor of architecture history divorces her husband after 26 years of marriage. She returns to the house of her father, along with her supportive daughter, to begin life anew. When a handsome young student enters the picture, the bonds between a mother and daughter are stretched beyond the breaking point. And unable to endure the humiliation, the husband sets off a chain of events that leads to heartbreak and destruction. A fascinating tale of falling in love and of seeking revenge; another powerful new film from Iran.

Lawrence of Arabia

LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Winner of 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture of 1962, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA stands as one of the most timeless and essential motion picture masterpieces. The greatest achievement of its legendary, Oscar®-winning director, David Lean (1962, Lawrence of Arabia: 1957 the Bridge on the River Kwai), the film stars Peter O’Toole — in his career-making performance — as T.E. Lawrence, the audacious World War I British army officer who heroically united rival Arab desert tribes and led them to war against the mighty Turkish Empire. Newly restored and re-mastered at 4K resolution, the massive scope and epic action of the Director’s Cut of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA can now be experienced like never before in this landmark 50th Anniversary Edition.

Lebanese Religions: The Maronites

Constituting the largest Catholic Christian group in the Middle East, the Maronites of Lebanon are the devout followers of Saint Maron (d. 410) of Antioch. The Maronites were particularly influential in the creation of the modern state of Lebanon and its independence from the French in 1948. Despite various instances of oppression and persecution throughout their history, the Maronites have managed to remain a dominant force in Lebanese political and cultural life. Using rare footage and insightful interviews, this absorbing documentary traces the history of this ancient community to modern day Lebanon, capturing its substantial contribution to religious and cultural diversity in the Middle East.

Levantine Arabic for Non-Natives: A Proficiency-Oriented Approach: Audiotapes

Company's textbook - NEED TO CHANGE Type in DL to CD

Lion of Ain-Jaloot

Lion of Ain Jaloot an epic movie of historic dimension. It is the life story of one of the greatest Mulsim heroes, Seifuddin Qutoz. Taking you back in history to the 13th Century, the story of Ain Jaloot recounts the remarkable true-life saga of a man who was born a prince, struggled as a slave, and left his legacy as a King. This full-length feature film documents the life of Seifuddin Qutoz as he overcomes many obstacles in his life during one of the most challenging episodes in Islam's history. Animation, Color, 60 minutes. DVD includes English and Arabic languages with subtitles.

Lost Boys of Sudan

Lost Boys of Sudan

LOST BOYS OF SUDAN follows two teenage Sudanese refugees on an extraordinary journey from Africa to America, offering a gripping and sobering peek into the myth of the American Dream. In the late ‘80s, Islamic fundamentalists in Sudan waged war on the country’s separatists, leaving behind over 20,000 male orphans, otherwise known as 'lost boys.' For those who survived this traumatic ordeal and found their way to refugee camps, som were chosen to participate in a resettlement program in America--a distant place so presumably full of hope and opportunity that the Sudanese sometimes call it Heaven. But what if a free ticket to 'Heaven' turned out to be anything but? Sidestepping conventional voice-over narration in favor of real-time, close-quarters poignancy, LOST BOYS OF SUDAN focuses on Santino and Peter, members of the Dinka tribe, during their first life-altering year in the United States. Safe at last from physical danger--but a world away from home--the boys must grapple with extreme cultural differences as they come to understand both the abundance and alienation of contemporary American life.

Man of Ashes

Like any groom, Hachemi is anxious about his approaching marriage, but not for the usual reasons. Anonymous alleyway graffiti challenging the manliness of his best friend, Farfat, overshadow the upcoming ceremony. Hachemi's concern is for himself as well as his friend, because he and Farfat share a childhood secret: as apprentices they were both molested by Ameur, the carpenter who trained them. While Farfat makes plans to run away to Tunis, a nervous Hachemi makes a more personal journey of self-discovery.

May Lady, The

A delicate and sensitive family drama about a divorcée confronting contradictory desires – her own need for adult love and companionship and her ability to maintain a stable relationship with her only child. She’s involved with a doctor whom she cares for deeply. But her rebellious teenage son Mani resents the presence of another man in her life. As Forough interviews women from all walks of life for a television report on 'the exemplary mother,' she wonders where she fits in. This bold examination of the universal tension between motherhood, womanhood and professional life marked an important challenge to the social norms and cultural expectations of Iranian society in the late Nineties.

Message, The

Handsomely-mounted historical epic concerns the birth of the Islamic faith and the story of the prophet Mohammed -- who, in accordance with the tenants of Islam, is never to be depicted (as this is against certain Islamic schools of thought). In Mecca in the 7th century, Mohammed is visited by a vision of the Angel Gabriel, who urges him to lead the people of Mecca to cast aside the 300 idols of Kaaba and instead worship the one true God, speaking out against the corrupt political and military leaders who rule Mecca. With the help of his uncle, a brave warrior named Hamza (Anthony Quinn), Mohammed and his followers return to Mecca to liberate the city in the name of God.

Moment of Innocence, A

A forty year old ex-cop goes to Tehran to meet with the director Makmalbaf and act in his latest film. Twenty years ago the director had wounded the policeman with a knife in an attempt to disarm him to take his gun. The filmmaker, who fought against the Shah's regime, was arrested and spent several years in prison. So, today, he proposes to man to reconstruct the story cinematically: each of them will choose a guy to play their roles. The boys chosen take things very seriously and, in the end, will not fight, but rather, will offer one another... the bread and flowers!

Mother of the Bride

When their eldest daughter, Ahlam, meets a dashing young man at a party, it's love at first sight and wedding plans must quickly be arranged. As preparations get underway, Zeinab and Hussein are soon overwhelmed by the elaborate and costly requests made by the groom's extravagant family. While tending to the needs of their other six children, Hussein and Zeinab must consider unconventional means to obtain the funds for a ceremony that the newlyweds will be proud of.

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet

Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet is documentary film about the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad based on historical records and on the stories of living American Muslims who call Muhammad the Messenger of God and follow his example.

Muslims

'Muslims' is a 2002 documentary about the diverse ways of being a Muslim today.It consists mostly of stories of individual Muslims from around the world, including an Egyptian sheikh, an Iranian ayatollah, some Turkish students, a Turkish politician, a Malaysian obstetrician, a Malaysian woman seeking a divorce, several Nigerians, the principal of a Muslim school in the U.S., an African-American convert to Islam, and an advisor to the Iranian president. Along the way, the video addresses various issues in contemporary Islam, such as the fallout of Western colonialism in Muslim countries, Islamic law, women in Islam, Islamism, Islam and democracy, interpretation of the Qur'an, terrorism, and being a religious minority in the U.S.

My Country, My Country

Working alone in Iraq over eight months, American filmmaker Laura Poitras follows Iraqi physician Dr. Riyadh--father of six and Sunni political candidate--for an unforgettable journey into the heart of war-ravaged Iraq in the months leading up to the January 2005 elections. An outspoken critic of the occupation, Dr. Riyadh is equally passionate about building democracy in Iraq. Yet all around him, he sees only chaos, as his waiting room fills each day with patients suffering the physical and mental effects of ever-increasing violence. Dramatically interwoven into his personal journey is the landscape of U.S. military occupation, Australian private security contractors, and the U.N. officials who orchestrated the elections. Luminously photographed and emotionally complex, Oscar-nominated MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY captures the downward spiral of one man caught in the tragic contradictions of the U.S. occupation of Iraq and its project to spread democracy in the Middle East.

My Name Is Khan

Two of Bollywood's biggest superstars, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, deliver powerful performances in this epic romance that proves true love knows no boundaries. Rizwan (Khan), an Indian man with a unique way of looking at the world, moves to San Francisco and meets a vivacious single mother named Mandira (Kajol). They form a special bond and fall in love against all odds, but fate and tragedy conspire to tear them apart. That's when Rizwan embarks on a remarkable journey across America to win back the love of his life.

Mystic Iran: The Unseen World

Mystical practices in Iran. Shoreh Aghadashloo narrated this documentary. Explores practices rarely if ever seen on film before.

Nasser 56

The film does not seek to document the life of president Gamal Abdul Nasser. Instead it concentrates on a few months before and after the nationalization at the suez Canal in 1956 which the film sees as the most important period of his rule, covering the greatest of his political achievement. The film portrays Nasser's dealings with his ministers, his working habits, his speeches, his relation with members of the revolutionary council, and also with his father, his wife and his children

Nazrah: A Muslim Woman's Perspective

NAZRAH: A Muslim Woman's Perspective is an intimate look at a diverse group of Muslim women living in the US Pacific Northwest. By creating a forum where Muslim women can freely engage in an open dialogue about complex issues, filmmaker Farah Nousheen exposes a vast and fascinating array of thoughts and ideas. The women discuss their views on Islam, current political events and how they reflect on the image of Islam in the West.

New Day in Old Sana'a, A

In this achingly romantic tale, handsome young Tariq is about to marry Bilquis, eldest daughter of a prominent and powerful judge. But as he wanders the ancient city of Sana'a late one night, he spots a beautiful young woman dancing in the street and falls madly in love with her. Before long, the young groom must choose between following his heart and protecting his family's honor. Filmed entirely on location in the ancient city of Sana'a, this exquisite film is the first feature ever to come out of Yemen.

Nightingale's Prayer, The

Based on the novel by the great Egyptian writer, Taha Hussein the Nightingale's prayer stars the first lady of the Arab silver screen, Faten Hamama. This compelling tale of love and betrayal set in the supper Egyptian countryside, follows the story of amna (Hamama) as she plots her revenge on the engineer (Ahmed Mazhar) who destroyed her family's honor. A gripping portrait of a courageous young woman's rebellion against tradition and poverty, the Nightingale's Prayer is an undiscovered masterpiece of world cinema

Occupation 101 - Voices of the Silenced Majority

A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and US political involvement. Unlike any other film produced on the conflict, 'Occupation 101' explains the complicated reality with precision storytelling through a series of highly stylized visual edits, and gives audiences a complete context with which to better understand the Israeli-Palestinian debate. The roots of the conflict are explained with thought-provoking commentaries from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists, journalists, religious leaders and humanitarian workers whose voices have too often been suppressed in American media outlets.

Occupied Minds

Occupied Minds takes viewers on an emotional, intensely personal odyssey through one of the world's most volatile regions. The film follows Palestinian-American journalist Jamal Dajani and Israeli journalist David Michaelis as they travel together to Jerusalem, their mutual birthplace. Together they hope to offer unique insights into the divisive Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On Boys, Girls and the Veil

A documentary which depicts the life of Bassem Samra and his friends and family. The film discusses issues concerning love and the veil.

Osama

The first film made in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. Osama is a striking work of cinematic art. After the brutal Taliban regime bans women from working and forbids them to leave their homes without a male escort, a 12-year old girland her mother find themselves on the brink of starvation. With nowhere left to turn, the mother disguises her daughter as a boy. Now called Osama, the young girl embarks on a terrifying and confusing journey as she tries to keep the Taliban from discovering her true identity.

Other World, The

Hidden deep in the south of France, practically untouched by the modern age, is a place known by many as 'the Zone'. In this space, the supernatural is an everyday reality of life. Magic is everywhere. It is reason. It is currency. It is unquestionable fact. Prepare yourself for a journey into life on the other side of the mirror. Legendary filmmaker Richard Stanley (HARDWARE, DUST DEVIL, as well as a string of stunning documentaries) has never been under spoken about his studies in mysticism and the occult. A trained anthropologist whose brain glows with secret knowledge and forgotten histories, Stanley has spent decades exploring the literal fantastic.

Our Times

America has questions about today's youth, what we care about, and where we're headed. We had those questions too. So, after graduating college, four of us loaded an RV and embarked on a journey looking for answers. We traveled to all of the lower 48 states, talking to our peers about growing up, 9/11, race, the Internet, careers, sex, love, and the American Dream. Along the way, we met a wide cross-section of young Americans, ranging from a cancer researcher in Boston to a drug dealer in New Mexico, from an Iraq veteran in Florida to the founder of Facebook in Silicon Valley. The film ultimately leads to the recent historic election, where our generation finally stands up to make its voice heard.

Out of Place: Memories of Edward Said / Edward Said: The Last Interview

Born in Jerusalem in 1935 and educated in Egypt and the United States, Edward W. Said was one of the most important literary critics of the late 20th century, and the most prominent spokesperson for the Palestinian cause in the U.S. Borrowing its title from the author's memoir, OUT OF PLACE: Memories of Edward Said traces Said's life and work, celebrating his intellectual legacy, especially the importance of his work in literary criticism and postcolonial studies (he was the author of the landmark book Orientalism), his love of music, his role on the Palestinian National Council and his troubled relationship with Yasir Arafat. Filmed across the Middle East and in New York, we discover him through interviews with his family, friends and colleagues, including Ilan Pappe, Elias Khoury, Azmi Bishara, Daniel Barenboim, Rashid Khalidi, Michel Warschawski, Noam Chomsky and Dan Rabinowitz. Less than a year before his death from leukemia in 2003, Edward Said was interviewed over the course of three days, during which he spoke at length with the filmmakers about his illness, his work, Palestine and politics, his life and education, and his continuing preoccupations. EDWARD SAID: The Last Interview is the remarkable final testament of this passionately committed intellectual. Together, these two films - the first, reflections on Said made after his death (and from which he is absent), the second in which he is still and fully present - provide a uniquely comprehensive, intimate and moving portrait of one of the great and lasting thinkers of the 20th century.

Outfoxed - Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism

For the first time ever, this documentary reveals the secrets of former Fox News producers, reporters, bookers, and writers who expose what it's like to work for Fox News. These former Fox employees talk about how they were forced to push a 'right-wing' point of view or risk their jobs. Some have even chosen to remain anonymous in order to protect their current livlihoods.

Outposts of the Foreign Legion

Capt. Gerard, greatest lover in the Foreign Legion, is assigned to escort an emir's daughter to her father's mountain citadel and find out what he can about the emir's activities.

Palestine for Beginners

Palestine For Beginners is a fast-moving guide to the roots of conflict, key historical and current events, and the characters and motivations behind the ongoing crisis.

Paradise Now

'PARADISE NOW' follows two Palestinian childhood friends who have been recruited for a strike on Tel Aviv and focuses on their last days together

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land: U.S. Media & the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics. Interviewees include Seth Ackerman, Mjr. Stav Adivi, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Hanan Ashrawi, Noam Chomsky, Robert Fisk, Neve Gordon, Toufic Haddad, Sam Husseini, Hussein Ibish, Robert Jensen, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Karen Pfeifer, Alisa Solomon, and Gila Svirsky.

Political Parties: Hezbollah

Hezbollah (or The Party of God) emerged in 1982 as a guerilla resistance army fighting against the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Though primarily Shiite, the party has drawn support from a broad range of organizations both religious and political; its primary appeal was to the disenfranchised Shiite youth in Lebanon. Hezbollah has relied on the Islamic government of Iran for military and monetary aid and was added to the U.S. State Department's list of international terrorist groups in October of 1997. The party has since gained political legitimacy in Lebanon, currently holding 12 parliamentary seats, while the civilian branch of Hezbollah runs schools, orphanages and a television station.

Political Parties: Kataeb

The Kataeb Party (also known as The Phalange Party) was founded by Sheik Pierre Gemayel in 1936. It quickly emerged as a nationalist youth movement and a champion of the Christian cause in Lebanon. Throughout the 1960s the party was considered one of the largest political organizations within the Lebanese political system. In the 1970s, The Kataeb Party evolved into a private militia under the leadership of Bashir Gemayel, the founder's son. Bashir Gemayel was elected President of the Republic in 1982, following Israel's invasion of Lebanon, but was assassinated eight days before he was to assume power.

Political Parties: Progressive Socialist

The Progressive Socialist Party was founded in 1949 by the respected Druze leader Kamal Joumblat. Due to its secular social justice platform, the party drew together disparate factions of the Lebanese populous and was able to claim 18,000 adherents in 1953. After the assassination of Joumblat in 1977, his son, Walid, took control of the party and steered it towards a more pro-Druze agenda. The Progressive Socialist Party continues to be the favored political party of the Druze and now has deputies in the Lebanese Parliament.

Political Parties: The Amal Movement by Documentary

Amal, meaning hope, is the popular name of the Shiite political party otherwise known as The Movement of the Disinherited. The party was founded in 1973 by Shiite cleric Mousa El-Sadr, drawing its initial political strength through its close ties with Iran. Amal evolved into a militia during the Lebanese Civil War, achieving national credibility during the reconciliation conferences in Geneva and Lausanne. The Amal Movement now holds a significant number of parliamentary seats, due largely to the number of people it represents and its successful resistance to the Israeli occupation of the south.

Political Parties: The Lebanese Forces

In 1976, under the leadership of Bashir Gemayel, several Christian militias united under the banner of The Lebanese Forces. Their goal was to combat the Syrian presence in Lebanon and to counter-balance the perceived threat of armed Palestinian forces within the borders. Gemayel maintained close ties with Israel, visiting the nation on several occasions. It is also widely believed that he accepted military supplies and training from Israel. The Lebanese Forces received their official party license in the early 1990s, but their license was later revoked and the party eventually dissolved.

Private - Starring Mohammad Bakri

Mohammad (Mohammad Bakri), his wife (Areen Omari) and their five children live in a large, isolated house located mid-way between a Palestinian village and an Israeli settlement. Viewed as a strategic lookout point, the house is forcefully taken over by Israeli soldiers, who confine Mohammad and his family to a few downstairs rooms in daytime and a single room at night. Against his wife's wishes, Mohammad decides to keep the family together in the house until the soldiers move on, creating division among his kin and a precarious relationship with the soldiers. Italy's pick for the 2005 Foreign Film Oscar competition (before being disqualified by the Academy because the primary languages were not Itlaian), Saverio Costanzo's first feature is a powerful and haunting psychological thriller.

Rachida

Rachida' examines the effects of the Algerian Civil War on the lives of its citizens and the impact the ongoing terrorism had on both their lives and psyches. Although still ensuing in some parts of Algeria today, the war principally ran between 1991 and 2002 and was sparked by the rising popularity of the Islamic Salvation Front party (FIS). Fearing they would be overthrown, the incumbent National Liberation Front cancelled the nation's forthcoming elections and declared the opposing party illegal. The country came under military rule and in response to the banning and arrest of many FIS party members, Islamist guerrillas took up arms and engaged in a prolonged battle with the government and all who supported it. Forming into several groups, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) rampaged through the towns, initially targeting only the authorities, but many soon turned their attention to the civilian population. Over a span of 11 years, upwards of 200 000 lives were lost. It has been alleged that some of the killings were conducted by government agencies, who then publicly blamed the Islamists for the deaths.

Raging Dove

The story of Palestinian-Israeli-American world champion boxer Johar Abu Lashin. Undefeated, he decides to defend his title - first in his hometown of Nazareth, then in Gaza, Palestine - and unwittingly orchestrates his own downfall, as the quagmire of Middle-East politics deals him the fatal blow. Johar Abu Lashin is a Palestinian by birth, an Israeli by circumstance, and an American by choice. As such, not only are None of these identities complete, they also tear him apart. A man in constant battle with himself, the only place where he truly feels whole, or at home, is in the ring.

Rana's Wedding

Shooting on location in East Jerusalem, Ramallah and at checkpoints in-between, Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now) sees the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the eyes of a young woman who, with only ten hours to marry, must negotiate her way around roadblocks, soldiers, stone-throwers, overworked officials...and into the heart of an elusive lover. This timely feature that explores love among the ruins of an occupied territory was presented with the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival's 2003 Nestor Almendros Prize for courage in filmmaking.

Red Satin (Satin Rouge)

A Tunisian widow takes an unlikely journey of self-discovery in Raja Amari's sumptuous and sensual SATIN ROUGE. While investigating a suspected liaison between her headstrong teenaged daughter and a cabaret musician, Lilia becomes drawn to an exhilarating nightclub netherworld of Rubenesque belly dancers and nocturnal pleasure-seekers. In trading her shapeless housedresses for sequins and satin, she begins to emerge from her cocoon of melancholy and loneliness. Writer-director Amari's tale of liberation recalls Douglas Sirk's 1950s suburban melodramas as it also paints a distinctly modern portrait of Arab women.

Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People

The film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding 'terrorists', along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypical images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today. Shaheen shows how the persistence of these images over time has served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes toward Arabs and Arab culture, in the process reinforcing a narrow view of individual Arabs and the effects of specific US domestic and international policies on their lives. By inspiring critical thinking about the social, political, and basic human consequences of leaving these Hollywood caricatures unexamined, the film challenges viewers to recognize the urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab history and culture.

Return to The Land of Wonders

Not long after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, filmmaker Maysoon Pachachi returns to her home city of Baghdad after 35 years. She accompanies her father, 80-year-old Adnan Pachachi, who is returning to head the committee responsible for drafting Iraq's temporary constitution and Bill of Rights.

RKO's Aesop's Fables: Gypped in Egypt

Waffles the Cat and Don Dog are relaxing in a hammock, which they have tied between the legs of their camel, when the camel suddenly kicks them off onto the Egyptian sand. Don spots a pool of water, and the three of them dance over to it. Once there, they fight over who gets to drink it. Waffles ties the camel's neck in a knot and finally punches him in the face, until the poor animal is dead. A bird, posing as a small tree, drinks the water and flies away. Then a sphinx suddenly glides across the desert and angrily declares, 'You killed him!' Waffles tries to blame Don, but the desert is suddenly filled with frightening images of pyramids and stampeding camels. Suddenly, Waffles and Don fall through black emptiness until they find themselves inside an Egyptian tomb. There, Waffles shakes with fear, and Don looks on with detached curiosity, as skeletons dance, play the piano and a variety of other weird things.

Road to Love

This romantic drama follows a young and apparently straight French-Algerian student, Karim, on a sociological quest to find gay Muslims. Through is investigations, the likable and handsome Karim meets a number of gay Arabs, from self focused Youssef to sexually aggressive Mustapha. It is handsome flight attendant Farid who leaves a lasting impression. While the friendship between Karim and Farid slowly intesifies, Karim is forced to confront the fact that his investigations will not only reveal the fascinating history and culture of gay Muslims, but also his own homosexuality.

Romance & Sex life (of the Date)

This retro-funky documentary delight explores the world-famous Shield's Date Garden and the history of the date industry in the Coachella Valley. Fifteen minutes presentation modified only slightly over the years.

Room

The highly suspenseful and deeply emotional, ROOM is a unique and unexpectedly tender exploration of the boundless love between a mother and her child. After 5-year-old Jack and his Ma escape from the enclosed surroundings that Jack has known his entire life, the boy makes a thrilling discovery: the outside world.

Sheik / The Son of the Sheik, The

The great silent screen lover Rudolph Valentino is captured in his most famous role in this special double feature. Women fainted in the aisles when 'The Sheik' (1921, 86 min.) was released, as Lady Diana Mayo (Agnes Ayres) is carried into the desert by an Arab chieftain (Valentino) who takes one look at her and wants her, right then and there. Nobody had seen anything like Valentino's natural sex appeal on the screen before, and the sequel 'The Son of the Sheik' (1926, 69 min.) was designed to revive Valentino's flagging career. In the sequel, Young Ahmed (Valentino) falls in love with Yasmin, a dancing girl (Vilma Banky), but he is captured and tortured by bandits. Believing Yasmin to be responsible, he escapes and plans his own form of revenge, although true love, of course, finally prevails. In New York for the premiere of 'The Son of the Sheik,' Valentino collapsed and died eight days later at the age of 31. The public hysteria surrounding his funeral is documented in the original Pathe newsreel which rounds out this extraordinary DVD.

Sometimes (Kabhi Kabhie)

Kabhi Kabhie is the story of a poet Amit (Amitabh Bachchan) and the beautiful Pooja (Rakhee). It is the story of how these two visualize a perfect future together. But destiny has other plans, as Pooja bows to the wishes of her parents and marries Vijay (Shashi Kapoor). Amit drifts away from his poetry in a futile and unsuccessful attempt to forget Pooja he marries Anjali (Waheeda Rehman). But just how picture perfect are Amit and Pooja's lives? Some 20 years on... spanning over to the next generation, Pooja and Vijay's son Vicky (Rishi Kapoor) and Anjali's daughter Pinky (Neetu Singh) from a prior relationship, fall in love. A chain of events brings together old lovers as friends. Kabhi Kabhie is a love story of generations.Written by Official Source

Soul Mate

From Iranian actor-director Mehdi Fakhim-zadeh comes this searing drama about Behrouz, a man who has recently been released from an asylum and has had several bouts of madness. Behrouz accidentally meets Shirin, and the pair impulsively decide to get married, beginning a series of life adventures for the odd couple. Soul Mate stars popular Iranian actress Roya Nounahali.

Story of Islam, The

In the year 600 A.D. a wind swept across the Arabian Desert where, in a little town called Mecca, an illiterate orphan named Muhammad came to be the seal of the prophets to whom the Word of God was revealed- and the world was changed forever. As did Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, Muhammad was sent as a mercy to mankind calling to the Oneness of God. This one man’s message now claims over one billion people across the planet all testifying to the same basic principle. However, it is a faith more misunderstood than any other.

Street Stories

A hard-hitting, entertaining, dramatic episodic film series that focuses on the travails, temptations, trauma and triumphs of people who are trying to make it in this tough and difficult world. People just like you and me. We have undertaken the task of developing STREET STORIES episodes in order to shine a light on many of the moral dilemmas we all encounter. All of our episodes are true-to-life; which means we portray the good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, success and failure, life and death. Sometimes our treatment is raw and biting. Sometimes it's friendly and humorous. Just like life.

Struggle on the Nile

Three years before Lawrence Of Arabia made him an international sensation, dashing Egyptian actor Omar Sharif starred in this wonderful masterpiece of Egyptian cinema that has been virtually unseen in the US since its release in 1959. Sharif plays naïve young Muhasab, who is asked to accompany his more dependable friend, Mujahed, on a voyage up the Nile to Cairo. Once there, they will sell their boat, the Bride of the Nile, in order to buy a barge that will make their village elders more competitive in business and trade. But a ruthless business rival is determined to see that the men never reach Cairo. Matters become even more complicated when Nargis, a scheming carnival dancer (played by the beautiful Hind Rostom), is discovered hiding out in the cargo hold of the Bride of the Nile. Sensual and atmospheric, Struggle On The Nile draws inspiration from the best European cinema of the era, while still remaining true to Egyptian cinematic traditions and locales.

Summer In La Goulette, A

The year is 1967 in La Goulette - a small harbor town in the suburbs of Tunis where various cultures have lived together for ages in effortless harmony. Youssef, Jojo and Giuseppe are as inseparable as their three 16-year-old-daughters, Meriem, Gigi and Tina. In a fit of teenage provocation, the three girls swear that they will lose their virginity by the day of the procession of the Madonna. To make matters worse, each of them has her eyes on a boy of a different religion, thus challenging an inviolable taboo. This leads the three families to cut off all ties with one another. But the bonds tying the three fathers are too strong. They end up making up, more like brothers than ever, just before the Six Day War breaks out in the Middle East, tearing apart Jews and Arabs the world over.

Sunday God Willing (Inch'Allah Dimanche)

The story of an immigrant woman struggling against old world traditions. Zouina leaves her homeland with her three children to join her husband in France, where he's been living for the past ten years. In a land and culture foreign to her, Zouina struggles against her mother-in-law's tyrannical hand and her husband's distrustful bitterness in an attempt to adjust to her life in exile.

Syrian Bride, The

In Majdal Shams, the largest Druze village in Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border, the Druze bride Mona is engaged to get married with Tallel, a television comedian that works in the Revolution Studios in Damascus, Syria. They have never met each other because of the occupation of the area by Israel since 1967; when Mona moves to Syria, she will lose her undefined nationality and will never be allowed to return home. Mona's father Hammed is a political activist pro-Syria that is on probation by the Israeli government. His older son Hatten married a Russian woman eight years ago and was banished from Majdal Shams by the religious leaders and his father. His brother Marwan is a wolf trader that lives in Italy. His sister Amal has two teenager daughters and has the intention to join the university, but her marriage with Amin is in crisis. When the family gathers for Mona's wedding, an insane bureaucracy jeopardizes the ceremony.

T.V.'s Promised Land

Director Nicholas Dembowski creates a clever montage of footage from Hollywood movies, cable news networks, American Westerns, etc. The accumulated evidence powerfully asserts that Western media has long demonized a catch-all 'Arab/Muslim world' via selective coverage and dehumanizing imagery that boosts the 'good vs. evil' rhetoric of politicians and pundits like George W. Bush, Colin Powell and Bill O'Reilly.

Ten

Ten, the latest film by Iranian master filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, focuses on ten conversations between a female driver in Tehran and the passengers in her car. Her exchanges with her young son, a jilted bride, a prostitute, a women on her way to prayer and others, shed light on the lives and emotions of these women whose voices are seldom heard.

Theeb

Tornado, The

Beirut, civil war. There are checkpoints, arbitrary executions, car bombs, machine guns, handguns, funeral processions, ambushes, hot heads, vendettas, and revenge. Cruelty and death are everywhere. Akram, who's been studying in Russia, is back in Beirut on holiday and plans to visit his mother in his home village. But can he get there? He spends time with friends in the city; they tell stories of death. Danger is on all sides. Driving down the street may lead to murder. Touches of the surreal appear: are they real, are they dreams? Can Akram survive? If so, at what cost?

Uncovered - The Whole Truth About the Iraq War

In this documentary feature, filmmaker Robert Greenwald chronicles the Bush Administration's case to invade Iraq following the events of Sept. 11, 2001. The film examines the administration's argument for war through interviews with U.S intelligence and defense officials, foreign service experts and U.N. weapons inspectors -- including a former CIA director, a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia and even President Bush's Secretary of the Army.

Under The Bombs

During a cease-fire in the Lebanon-Israel conflict of 2006, a Christian taxi driver brings an untraditional Shiite woman from Beirut to the heart of the conflict in the country s south. While they scour the rubble of local towns for her son, who was sent to live with her traditional family while she was staying with her husband in Dubai, they discover that despite their very different backgrounds they have much in common. And during their trip through the desolate countryside, the two travelers develop a deep bond as a response to the death striking all around them. The film was shot entirely on location during the summer of 2006, in the middle of the ruins of war-torn Lebanon. Aractingi only hired two professional actors, the rest are real refugees, journalists, soldiers, etc..., playing themselves.

Under the Skin of the City

Tuba, a mother of four, is a hard-working factory worker who is faced with unexpected challenges that threaten her family and way of life. Her oldest son, Abbas works to obtain a foreign work visa, which he hopes will allow him the opportunity to provide more for his family, and win the affections of a pretty office girl. To make his final payment, he sells the family home, but when his travel plans fall apart, Tuba is forced to take drastic measures to save her house and her son. Widely regarded as the 'First Lady of Iranian Cinema,' Rakhshan Bani-Etemad's first U.S. release is a stirring and powerful family drama that provides a fresh and provocative vision of Iranian urban society.

Unwanted Woman

From acclaimed director Tahmineh Milani (Two Women; The Fifth Reaction) comes this searing tale about the struggles of women in modern-day Iran.Poor Sima puts up with her philandering and abusive husband, Ahmad. He is so blatant with his indiscretions that he asks Sima to cover for him when he plans a trip with his girlfriend Saba. In an Iran where unmarried couples can be arrested for fraternizing in public, Ahmad needs Sima to pretend that Saba is his cousin. Sima and the couple’s young daughter accompany Ahmad and Saba on their trip--a humiliating situation for the devoted wife and mother. But, a surprising turn awaits the trio when they stop in a town where a man has just murdered his wife for her alleged affair.Marila Zarei (The Fifth Reaction) and Amin Hayayee (Coma), two of Iran’s newest stars--shine in this controversial drama.

Up to the South

Up to the south takes a close look at the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon and the powerful resistance to this occupation. It also examines several popular discursive terms such as 'the land,' 'culture' and 'identity' in relation to both the East and West. Discussions on terrorism, occupation, colonialism, post-colonialism, truths, myths and martydom provide an excellent opportunity for a paralleled critique of the documentary genre as well as a critique on the West's production of information about the area.

Veiled Voices - With Sheikha Stories

A collection of five short documentary films, Sheikha Stories profiles several women of the Middle East and the institutions that support their role in Islam. The women and institutions featured in the films differ in their approaches, ideas and interpretations of the religion at times making the road towards leadership a dynamic journey.

Viva Algeria

Voice Like Egypt

Born a peasant at the turn of the last century, legendary Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum earned a position of great wealth and influence. She was a powerful symbol, first of the aspirations of her country, and then of the entire Arab world. Four million people filled the streets of Cairo for her funeral in 1975, and to this day her songs outsell those of many contemporary Arab female vocalists.

Wedding in Galilee

One of the first films made in Israel to feature an Arab point of view, Wedding in Galilee is a richly-detailed allegory of marriage, tradition and national identity. The elder of a Palestinian village under Israeli military rule wants permission to hold a traditional wedding for his son that will go past the imposed curfew. The Army commander agrees on the condition that he and his officers be invited as guests of honor at the ceremony. Director Michel Khleifi's extraordinary first feature is an erotic and often compelling meditation on two conflicting cultures who attempt to put aside their differences for one long day of celebration.

West Beirut