São Paulo – The city of Maringá, in Brazil’s Paraná state, will have its 2nd Arab Film Festival from May 22nd to 24th. From Friday to Sunday, locals can watch movies made in Arab countries or set in the Middle East. Organized by the secretary of Culture of the Muslim Beneficent Society of Maringá, the Palestinian-born Aziza Abu Nejem, the festival will feature three films, one each night, always at 7:30 pm. Admission is free and spectators will get free popcorn and Arab tea.
The first film, to be screened on Friday, is Wadjda’s Dream, a German-Saudi production from 2012, directed by Saudi Arabia’s Haifaa Al Mansour. It tells the tale of a ten-year-old girl who lives in the Riyadh suburbs and wants to ride a bicycle, but her country’s laws forbid her. She hardheadedly and singlehandedly tries all she can to find the money to buy a bike her friend is selling. Her father also decides to marry a second wife, since Wadjda’s mother has failed to give birth to a male child.
The Saturday film is The Physician, from 2013. The European production portrays a young Briton who travels to 11th century Persia, in what is now Iran, to learn Medicine from Avicenna. Since only Muslims and Jews are taken, he hides the fact that he’s a Christian.
On Sunday, the festival will feature Omar, a Palestinian film made in 2013 about a local youngster who divides his time between winning shy Nadia’s love and acting up against Israeli occupation in the West Bank. The piece was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film of 2014, and won the Special Jury Prize in Cannes, 2013.
Nejem, the festival’s organizer, is the daughter to a Palestinian father. She was born in Brazil, spent almost her entire childhood in Jordan, and relocated to Brazil again eight years ago. When she arrived in Maringá, she felt Arab culture lacked promotion, so she decided to have a film festival. Nejem works in Aesthetics.
The film festival had an edition last year, as part of the South American Festival of Arab Culture, held by the Library and Research Center of South America- Arab Countries (Bibliaspa), alongside an exhibition of objects from Arab households. This year, the film festival is also part of the Bibliaspa Festival, even though the program in São Paulo took place in March. Nejem decided to repeat the festival due to the success of last year’s edition.
2nd Arab Film Festival in Maringá
May 22nd to 24th (Friday to Sunday), 7:30 pm
At the Hélio Moreira Auditorium (Maringá City Hall annex building)
Avenida Quinze de Novembro, 701, Zona 01, Maringá – Paraná
Free admission (free popcorn and tea)
Information: ziza_nejem@hotmail.com or (44) 9963-3333
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
