NYU Abu Dhabi’s CinemaNa series returns for 5th year to highlight Arab movies
Syrian filmmaker Mohamad Malas and Abu Dhabi director Nezar Andary to hold online talk
The CinemaNa series, hosted by the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, returns for its fifth year and will feature online conversations and screenings by prominent filmmakers from the Arab world.
The series is presented by the NYUAD Film and New Media Programme in partnership with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and The Arts Center.
The first instalment brings Syrian filmmaker Mohamad Malas and Abu Dhabi filmmaker Nezar Andary together for an online conversation (in Arabic with English translation) on October 4 at 7.30pm.
Apart from that, three films will be available for on-demand viewing until October 10: two of Malas’ works, ‘The Night’ (‘Al Leil’), ‘Passion’ (‘Bab el Maqam’), and Nezar Andar’s documentary portrait of Malas, ‘Unlocking Doors of Cinema’.
“As we celebrate five years of CinemaNa, we share our passion and faith in Arab contemporary cinema and invite people to watch a series of thought-provoking movies directed by Arab filmmakers and engage in an open dialogue while they reflect on the cultural and social issues that these films contemplate,” said series co-curator and Associate Arts Professor of Film at NYUAD Scandar Copti.
These are the films available for viewing:
‘The Night’ (‘Al Leil’) – directed by Mohamad Malas: The son of a dead resistance fighter for Palestine tries to restore his father’s history and exorcise the feeling of shame and humiliation that accompanied the image of his father and his town, occupied by Israelis.
‘Passion’ (‘Bab el Maqam’) – directed by Mohamad Malas: Set against the backdrop of the 2003 Syrian elections, Iman strives to become a singer amidst suspicion and mistrust among her family members.
‘Unlocking Doors of Cinema’ – directed by Nezar Andary: A feature documentary exploring the 50 years of artistic contribution of the Syrian auteur Mohamad Malas. Malas, an exile from his hometown of Quneitra, provokes audiences to contemplate loss, memory and home.
Don’t miss it!
CinemaNa will be streamed online. Events are ticketed, but free of charge.