'Bye Bye Tiberias' is a collaborative production involving France, Belgium, Qatar, and Palestine, featuring dialogue in both French and Arabic.
ALFILM – Arab Film Festival Berlin is gearing up to mark its 15th anniversary this year, presenting a lineup scheduled to grace screens from April 24 to 30.
The festival will feature a selection of 50 feature films, documentaries, and short films, promising audiences a cinematic journey through contemporary issues portrayed by Arab filmmakers.
Kicking off the event is the Berlin premiere of the Palestinian documentary Bye Bye Tiberias by Lina Soualem. This film follows acclaimed Palestinian actress Hiam Abbas and filmmaker’s daughter Lina as they journey through the memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women in their home village of Deir Hanna. Through testimonies, historical footage, home videos, and more, Bye Bye Tiberias offers a compelling exploration of the enduring struggles faced by Palestinians over decades.
The festival’s 15th ALFILM Selection will spotlight the diversity of contemporary Arab cinema, showcasing productions from the past two years. A special segment titled Persona non grata will delve into the representation of individual destinies susceptible to dynamics of marginalisation and exclusion.
The 15th ALFILM Spotlight, titled Here is Elsewhere: Palestine in Arab Cinema and Beyond, will explore the question of Palestine as a cause with regional and global repercussions. Through compassionate encounters and solidarity accounts, this programme will shed light on the longings and struggles of the Palestinian people.
A notable highlight of the programme is the ALFILM production Palestine – A Revised Narrative, featuring silent clips shot between 1914 and 1918 by British Forces in Palestine, accompanied by a specially crafted sound design and live music performance. This unique Ciné-Concert will be followed by a Film Talk session.
As part of the Special Programme, 15 Years ALFILM – 15 Years Arab Cinema in Berlin, a Panel discussion & Networking session will address Arab and African perspectives in the current German film scene.
The festival will also feature Master Classes, Panel Discussions, and Film Talks, culminating in a closing event with live audio-visual performances by Arab Artists.
Among the other notable films to be showcased are Goodbye Julia by Mohamed Kordofani, 19B by Ahmad Abdalla, The Burdened by Amr Gamal, Machtat by Sonia Ben Slama, Life is Beautiful by Mohammad Jabaly, Yellow Bus, Background, It Must Be Heaven, Notes on displacement, and The Dream.
