The Arab Film Club, a highly popular film club based in London, UK, has seen rapid expansion over the last few months and will now be launching its very own podcast. Founder of the club, Sarah Agha, will be organising the podcast, which is set to air on May 1, 2024. The first official guest has been announced as Jordanian filmmaker, Darin J. Sallam, famous for her film Farah, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and earned Jordan’s Best International Film Oscar in 2022.
Episodes will be available to stream and download on Podbean, Apple, and Spotify every second Wednesday after the first.
The inaugural season of the podcast will emphasise Palestinian cinema, highlighting the work of five distinct Palestinian filmmakers via in-depth interviews covering everything from film related, and hopefully much more. Adding to the list of guests is Lina Soualem, a French-Palestinian-Algerian filmmaker and actress, who directed Bye Bye Tiberias.
Having started during the COVID-19 lockdown via virtual channels, the Arab Film Club has risen to notable prominence within the UK, and now Middle Eastern, film community. Its reach expanded by organising physical screenings and industry Q&A sessions at various venues such as the Southbank Centre, The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester square, and many other iconic picture houses around the UK. The curated selection comprises both feature-length and shorts for a diverse selection of regions including Algeria, Egypt, Golan Heights, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Tunisia.
Find the official podcast dates below:
Episode 1 – May 1, 2024 – Darin J Sallam on her film Farha
Logline: After persuading her father to continue her education in the city, a Palestinian girl’s dream is shattered by the harrowing developments of the Nakba.
Episode 2 – May 15 – Lina Soualem on her film Bye Bye Tiberias
Logline: Years after leaving her Palestinian village, Hiam returns home in this intimate documentary about four generations of women and their shared legacy of separation.
Episode 3 – May 29 – Ameen Nayfeh on his film 200 Metres
Logline: The Israeli separation wall sits between Mustafa and his family. Denied entry on a technicality, Mustafa will stop at nothing to reach his injured son on the other side.
Episode 4 – June 12 – Annemarie Jacir on her film Wajib
Logline: “A father and his estranged son must come together to hand deliver his daughter’s wedding invitations. As the pair spend the day together in Nazareth, the tense relationship comes to a head. “
Episode 5 – June 26 – Farah Nabulsi on her film The Teacher
Logline: “A Palestinian school teacher finds himself caught between his risky commitment to political resistance and the unexpected chance of a new relationship.”