Monthly Film Festival

December 14, 2024 03:00pm PST - 10:00pm PST

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) presents the NFMLA Monthly Film Festival InFocus: Middle Eastern & Arab Cinema program. The weekend will showcase an international lineup of films by talented emerging Middle Eastern and Arab filmmakers across two short film programs, and will open with a selection from NFMLA’s ongoing monthly programming.

The day opens with December Shorts, a collection of shorts presented as part of NFMLA’s ongoing monthly program. This month’s block includes drama, animation, love stories, hard lessons, music videos, inspiration and deep curiosity.

The day’s programming continues with InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema, a collection of short films from Middle Eastern filmmakers from all over the Middle East and the diaspora. The films tell beautiful and intricate stories about deep familial bonds, memories, love, fear, grief, joy, and generational legacies.

The night concludes with InFocus: Arab Cinema, a selection of short films showcasing Arab storytellers from across the world, including productions from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Kingdom. The collection features a composition of absurdism, humor, self-exploration, impossible situations and poignant moments.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both our general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming, which celebrates diversity, inclusion and region by spotlighting communities of filmmakers within our filmmaking community as part of our monthly program. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The South Park Center is an ADA compliant venue and is wheelchair accessible. We request captioned films from all filmmakers participating at our Festival. For any accessibility needs, please send a request to info@nfmla.org at least 72 hours prior to the event.

Schedule Details

Program #1 – December Shorts
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Pre-Reception
3:30 PM – 5:15 PM – Program
5:15 PM – 5:30 PM – Audience Q&A

Program #2 – InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM – Pre-Reception
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM – Program
7:30 PM – 7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

Program #3 – InFocus: Arab Cinema
7:45 PM – 8:15 PM – Pre-Reception
8:15 PM – 9:45 PM – Program
9:45 PM – 10:00 PM – Audience Q&A

Event Location

Event Entrance
1139 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Directions


Paid Parking
1133 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Directions

December Shorts
Cozey
Dir. Mitchell Abraham, Zachary Ostapchenko, Writ. Robert Abraham & Prod. Mitchell Abraham
5 Mins | USA
Te llaman las olas
Dir. Ana Verde, Writ. Ana Verde & Prod. Lauren Lukow, Raúl Abner Samrah, Samara Pérez-Santiago
11 Mins | Puerto Rico
Gelato Thumbnail
Gelato
Dir. Iga Lis, Writ. Iga Lis & Prod. Karolina Vavra, Anna Rybus
4 Mins | Poland
The Captives Thumbnail
The Captives
Dir. Talia Light Rake, Writ. Claire Hampsey & Prod. Sarah Spangler, Christina Leonardi, Talia Light Rake
14 Mins | USA
I Know Him So Well
Dir. Chance Calloway, Writ. & Prod. Chance Calloway
4 Mins | USA, UK
The Middle
Dir. Sylvia Ray, Writ. Sylvia Ray & Prod. Rodry Soza, Lexx Truss
12 Mins | USA
Superman Doesn’t Steal
Dir. Tamika Lamison, Writ. Tamika Lamison & Prod. Tamika Lamison, Chris Beal, Dominique DeLeon, Carol Shine, Ben Ephraim
19 Mins | USA
A Body Called Life
Dir. Spencer MacDonald, Writ. Spencer MacDonald & Prod. Pascal Duschletta
15 Mins | USA
InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema
Shalal
Dir. Amir Ali Sisipour, Writ. Amir Ali Sisipour & Prod. Rostam Sisipour, Amir Ali Sisipour
15 Mins | Iran
Between Delicate and Violent
Dir. Şirin Bahar Demirel, Writ. Şirin Bahar Demirel & Prod. Şirin Bahar Demirel
15 Mins | Turkey, Netherlands
Fariha
Dir. Negine Jasmine Sekandari, Writ. Negine Jasmine Sekandari & Prod. Negine Jasmine Sekandari
5 Mins | USA
Sister Mother Lover Child Thumbnail
Sister Mother Lover Child
Dir. Nadia Shihab, Writ. & Prod.
12 Mins | Canada
My Child Thumbnail
My Child
Dir. Deniz Akyurek, Writ. Deniz Akyurek & Prod. Ben Schwartz, Mason Olivia Grammer, Spencer Strickland, Noah Matalon, Ian Roper
11 Mins | USA
The Steak Thumbnail
The Steak
Dir. Kiarash Dadgar, Writ. Kiarash Dadgar, Ali Narimani & Prod. Kiarash Dadgar
8 Mins | Iran, Canada
Echoes of Pomegranate
Dir. Alex Bijan Zandi, Writ. Alex Bijan Zandi & Prod. Taylor Ervin
15 Mins | USA
InFocus: Arab Cinema
Where’s the iman?
Dir. Abrar Qari, Writ. Abrar Qari & Prod. Bakr Alduhaim
12 Mins | Saudia Arabia
Two Sisters
Dir. Waleed Alqahtani, Writ. Waleed Alqahtani, Mashael Alqahtani & Prod. Lubna Bagsair, Abdulaziz Albraik, Rtusha Kulkarni
20 Mins | Saudia Arabia
My Girl Friend
Dir. Kawthar Younis, Writ. Kawthar Younis & Prod.
17 Mins | Egypt
A Beautiful Excuse for a Deadly Sin
Dir. Hashim Sharaf, Writ. Hashim Sharaf & Prod. Nehal Eissa
14 Mins | Bahrain
Ebb & Flow
Dir. Nay Tabbara, Writ. Nay Tabbara & Prod. Isabelle Mecattaf
18 Mins | Lebanon
Neo Nahda Thumbnail
Neo Nahda
Dir. May Ziadé, Writ. May Ziadé & Prod. Antonia Luxem
13 Mins | UK