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Browse Films A (Arabic) to Z (Zulu)
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| Arabic | Abouna | AF0007 |
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From dusty village in the Republic of Chad, two brothers, Amine and Tahir, set out in search of their father. Reflecting the rhythms of Africa, Abouna is a film rich in culture with a deep understanding of the human condition in general and youth in particular. This devastatingly powerful, magnificently photographed drama is director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s triumphant follow-up to his international award winning Bye Bye Africa. | |
| Arabic | Adrift on the Nile (Chitchat on the Nile) | AF0035 |
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The film addresses the decadence of Egyptian society during the Gamal Abdel Nasser era. It tells the story of a simple Egyptian worker, Anis (played by Emad Hamdi), who cannot tolerate the hypocrisy of the Egyptian government (for whom he works at the Ministry of Health) and the illiteracy of the Egyptian public and decides to hide from all the problems in the country by taking up smoking hashish in a shisha, a popular smoking habit in Egypt, to escape from reality. | |
| Arabic | Ahla al Awkat (The Best of Times) | AF0028 |
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A young woman find herself awkwardly living with her step-father after her mother's tragic death. She longs for her happy childhood days and decides to search for her father. This quest reunites her with two childhood friends. Through this unlikely reunion, we are given an insight into the lives of three very different women in contemporary society, present by the young and talented Hala Khalil in her directorial debut. | |
| Arabic | Ahlam Hind wa Kamilia (Dreams of Hind and Camelia) | AF0027 |
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Traces the friendship of two exploited servant women of Cairo: Camilla, divorced and unable to have children, and Hind, a widow from the countryside who longs to return to her home village. When Hind gives birth to a girl, they name her Ahlam, meaning "dreams." But will their own dreams elude them, or will they triumph against the odds? | |
| Arabic | Alexandria Again and Forever | AF0006 |
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This complicated and surreal autobiographical film explores the personal life and fantasies that have shaped the motion pictures of Youssef Chahine. Taking a stand for democracy, Yehia (Chahine’s on-screen alter ego), joins a hunger protest which has rallied together the entire Egyptian film industry. As the strikers mount their demands, the director becomes overwhelmed by his infatuation for Amir, the young actor whose career he launched with the film Alexandria… Why? But this obsession is soon overshadowed by his interest in Nadia, the beautiful ingénue whom he decides to cast in his next feature. (Final chapter of Chahine’s Alexandria Trilogy.) | |
| Arabic | Alexandria...Why? | AF0005 |
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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. (First chapter of Chahine’s Alexandria Trilogy.) | |
| Arabic | Ali Zaoua: prince de la rue (Ali Zaoua: Prince of the Streets) | AF0012 |
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Nabil Ayouch’s first feature, Mektoub, was Morocco’s official entry in the 1999 Academy Awards. Mektoub became one of the most successful and acclaimed features in Moroccan history. For Ali Zaoua, Ayouch casts homeless children from the streets of Casablanca. Ali Zaoua’s urban landscapes are a far cry from the iconic images of the legendary film Casablanca. However, Ayouch’s compassion toward the children and their plight is evident in every frame of the film as he contrasts their stark reality with the fantastic dream world to which they seek to escape. | |
| Arabic | al-Irhab wal-Kabab (Terrorism and BBQ) | AF0024 |
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Government employee Ahmed El-Bab goes to the Education Administration Department at the Tahrir complex to transfer his children to another school. He's treated with insolence and negligence by the clerks. He rebels and loses his temper with one of the clerks. The clerk calls security, Ahmed clashes with them and a bullet is fired by mistake. The security man runs away and Ahmed takes possession of the rifle. A rumor spreads that terrorists have taken over the complex. Ahmed is then joined by four others including Hind, a woman arrested for solicitng. The terrorists are asked for their demands, Admand Demands a large quantity of barbeque and the plot unfolds. | |
| Arabic | Amreeka | AF0032 |
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Muna, a single mother in Ramallah, has applied for a visa to the US. When it comes, her son Fadi, an excellent student, convinces her they should go. After an incident at customs begins their exile badly, they join Muna's sister and family in Illinois. Muna needs a job: although she has two degrees and 15 years' experience in banking, she settles for work at White Castle, telling the family her job's at a nearby bank. It's spring, 2003, and the US invades Iraq. While friends come from unlikely places, Fadi meets prejudice at school. How will he respond to American youth culture and how will Muna sort things out with her family? | |
This collection of international films and documentaries is used exclusively by students and faculty of the School World Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. The World Studies Media Center strictly adheres to the copyrights and fair use guidelines of all titles housed in this collection.
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