by Rebecca Romani

March 26, 2026

As one of the youngest film festivals in San Diego, the San Diego Arab Film Festival, which opens this Friday, has grown into a festival with a surprising reach and a large loyal following. A project of Karama, a local, independent non-profit, whose main goal is to improve understanding of the Arab and Islamic world through projects such as the film festival. The group seeks to educate the American public about the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and break down the stereotypes and misconceptions that affect dialog about the region. More specifically, Karama focuses on issues around Palestine, in the belief that Palestine is central to the political and social development of the Middle East and North Africa.

This year’s festival is testament to the efforts of co-chairs Larry Christian and Bassemah Darwish to cultivate a presence in the Arab Film World, thus attracting a high caliber of film submissions. A number of the feature films on the program are by well-known directors and have won prestigious recognition at international film festivals.

According to Christian, who is also the chairman of Karama, this year’s selections are special because:

“For the last few years, it’s been a challenge to balance films that reflect the present life in the Arab world with films that also reflect the breadth of Arab culture and creativity. This year, we’ve tried to do that by including the 3 highly regarded features about Palestine as well as feature films from and about Morocco, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Sudan.” Christian told Vanguard Culture via email.

Christian added, “This year there were three films from or about Palestine that were shortlisted for Best International Feature Film (Palestine 36 submitted by Palestine, The Voice of Hind Rajab submitted by Tunisia and All That’s Left of You submitted by Jordan).  We are showing all three. Only one of them was nominated, The Voice of Hind Rajab, but it didn’t win.”

This year’s screenings take place at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. The screenings are spread out over two weekends.

Weekend one (3/27-3/28)

Day 1: Gaza Bride 17 (Iran, Palestine), short. An intense short about a Gaza City fisherman dealing with PTSD after losing his only son in a tragic accident with an Israeli military vessel.

This is director, Waseem Khair’s third short. The film stars Saleh Bakri as the haunted father. Bakri is part of the talented Bakri family of actors and directors who, almost single-handedly it seems, carry Palestinian film. Festival goers will see one of the Bakris in several films being screened.

Palestine 36 is the newest film from Palestinian-American director Annmarie Jacir. Jacir is one of the rising stars of Palestinian film. Her deep attention to craft in writing and directing has resulted in her films consistently being chosen as the Palestinian submission to the Oscars. Palestine 36 is the third of Jacir’s films to screen at the SD Arab Film Festival. Her second feature, the moving When I Saw You (2012), about a boy who longs to leave the refugee camp in Jordan where he lives to return to his family home in Palestine and see his father.

While Jacir has said her films are not autobiographical, they are inspired by real life and life in Palestine, where she currently lives.

In interviews, Jacir has said, “Palestine is the only constant place I’ve known in my life — the only place I’ve always come back to. Other places were always temporary and even though I’ve lived in so many cities, I’ve never returned to any of them. So being here makes sense for me. It’s where my heart is.”

Listed in 2004 by Filmmaker Magazine one of the 25 new faces of Independent Cinema, Jacir’s third feature, the charming and beautifully shot Wajib (Obligation) (2017) screened at the SDAFF in 2018.

Jacir’s films are deeply saturated in memory as a way of preserving self and as a form of resistance. Art, she has said, is a form of resistance against colonization, occupation, and erasure. Her devotion to telling Palestinian stories has won her international recognition and praise.

In Palestine 36, Jacir returns to history to examine Britain’s role in the birth of Israel and the sectioning of Palestine. Set in 1936, the film looks at the Arab revolt against British occupation, and what pushes people into resistance and collective anger.

Jacir’s casting is brilliant, as she brings in some of the heavy hitters of Palestinian cinema, from the very solid Saleh Bakri of the Bakri acting clan to the elegant Hiam Abbas- whose characters light up the screen in a slow burn, to Ula Tabari whose characters’ palpable grief soaks the screen. Festival goers may remember Abbas from the Tunisian film, Satin Rouge, May in the Summer, and Paradise Now. Tabari was seen in The Villa Touma and Chronicle of a Disappearance.

Palestine 36 has done well in festivals and on international screens. Praised for its editing and visual beauty as well as powerful acting, it has also attracted a degree of controversy. The film was banned in Bethlehem and critics have expressed concerns about its historical portrayals.

Palestine 36 is sure to sell out, so purchasing on-line tickets is strongly advised.

Saturday’s program continues with a number of shorts and features.

Saturday (3/28)

An Orange from Jaffa

Jaffa Oranges have long been associated with Palestine and Palestinian culture. And in this film, the Jaffa orange also becomes a metaphor for culture, tradition, and caring for each other.

The short was shortlisted for live action shorts for this year’s Oscar.

The film follows Mohammed as he seeks to cross an Israeli checkpoint. He is assisted by an older taxi driver Farouk, but when they get to the actual checkpoint, Mohammed’s past comes to haunt him and puts Farouk in a very difficult position.

For many viewers, this may be their first exposure to what life between checkpoints is like.

This is Director Mohammed Almughanni’s sixth short.

The film is paired with another Oscar nominated film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, one that is difficult to watch and listen to. The story of little five-year-old Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in a hail of Israeli bullets as she cowered in a car, has its own outsized horror which will puncture the sang froid of even the most casual viewer. Tunisian director, Kaouther Ben Hania draws from the recordings of Hind’s frantic emergency call in the car to Palestinian first responders rushing to save her. The child, six members of her family, and two of the first responders were killed by Israeli shelling. Hind’s death inspired resistance actions by many of the anti-Gazan war demonstrators as well as a song by a famous rap star.

The film was shot in Tunisia, and later released to much acclaim. Like many documentaries, it has a very strong call to action.

NB: The film uses the audio from the emergency phone calls

The second screening session on Saturday features two films from North Africa, one of the most prolific film regions of the Arab world. From Egypt comes Dawn Every Day, a beautiful short shot deliberately in black and white, not as an economic decision, but to conjure up post revolution Egypt and the heyday of Egyptian cinema. The look paired with the gorgeous music delivers a charming film whose attention to the details of life in a comfortable Egyptian family rewards the viewer with unexpected moments.

The film follows little Nabil as he tries to understand what is happening to his family and to his best friend next door, as regular Egyptians prepare for life in an Egypt recently freed from British rule.

The cinematography is superb, as is the acting. The little children are especially good.

The final film comes from Tunisia, also a film powerhouse in North Africa. Where the Wind Comes From takes its inspiration of a tale of rebellion and a search for new beginnings, from Tunisians shortly after the Arab Spring (2001). In this dramatic comedy, two friends, a head strong girl, Alyssa, and a shy boy, Mehdi, go on a road trip to the beautiful island of Djerba where Alyssa has discovered there is an art contest with the promise of a trip to Germany as the prize. What they learn on this trip will determine their futures and challenge their friendship.

The film is unusual in that it is lensed by a deeply talented female cinematographer, Frida Marzouk. The film has also won significant praise for the portrayals of the young protagonists. Director Amel Guellaty bases her story in part on her own experiences growing up in Tunisia and on how Tunisian youth are remaking their lives post Arab Spring.

The festival takes a brief break and continues April 17-19.

Please see AFF for more information on times and tickets.

NB: Again, tickets for some films are selling quickly, so buy your tickets early online.

As usual, the AFF provides an Arab dinner for purchase separate from the film tickets.