The Arab Film Club Podcast

Series 2. Episode 3: Hasan Hadi on The President's Cake.   In this episode, we speak with award-winning director Hasan Hadi about his debut feature film, The President's Cake. We discuss how Hasan brought 1990s Iraq to life, the impact of casting non-professional actors and the film's potential to put Iraqi cinema in the spotlight. An emotional film with a universal message, The President's Cake is an important piece of art that tells an Iraqi story without the influence of Western preconceptions about the country's people and past. Premiering in the Director's Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival in 2025, The President's Cake won the Audience Award and the Camera d'Or prize for best debut feature. It was also shortlisted for an Oscar after being selected as Iraq's entry in the Best International Feature category at the 2025 Academy Awards.    The President's Cake is available to rent now on Curzon at Home.    Hosted by Sarah Agha  Produced by Hemeroscope Studios Music by Mina Samy

Series 2. Episode 2: Soudade Kaadan on Nezouh. In this episode, we speak with multi award winning filmmaker Soudade Kaadan about her feature film Nezouh. We discuss the significance of Syrian stories on screen, producing independent cinema and the inventive use of comedy and magic realism as a way to tackle difficult themes and topics. Soudade reflects on making the film, the casting of Kinda Alloush and Samer Al-Masry, the importance of authenticity and why she wants to invite Syrians back to the cinema.The film first premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022 and is available to rent on the BFI Player, Youtube, Apple TV and more. Hosted by Sarah Agha Produced by Hemeroscope Studios Audio recorded by The Garden CinemaMusic by Mina Samy Poster photo courtesy of RBKC by Jaron JamesMusic featured in episode: Lili s'en fout by Toufic Farroukh Huna Al-Sham by Shadi Ali

Series 2. Episode 1: Cherien Dabis on All That’s Left Of You. In this episode, we speak with filmmaker and actor Cherien Dabis about her powerful film All That’s Left of You. We discuss the origins of this sweeping Palestinian family story, the deeply personal choices behind its casting including working with the Bakri family and what it was like for Cherien to direct herself in such an intimate role.    Cherien reflects on making the film amid war, curfews, and escalating violence and the resilience required to keep going under impossible conditions.    Cherien Dabis is a Palestinian-American Emmy Award nominated TV and Oscar shortlisted film director and an actress whose work includes starring in Mo Amer’s hit Netflix show Mo.   Her latest feature film All That’s Left of You will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on February 6th 2026 and is distributed by T A P E Collective.    Find a screening near you: https://www.tapecollective.co.uk/feature-films/all-thats-left-of-you   Hosted by Sarah Agha  Produced by Hemeroscope Studios  Music by Mina Samy  Cover image by Stephanie Diani

Series Two Trailer

On June 30th 2024, The Arab Film Club returned to the Southbank Centre for a special event for Refugee Week around the theme, 'Home'. The screening was followed by a Q&A hosted by curator Sarah Agha with the filmmakers in person. This bonus episode is a recording of the Q&A which took place on stage.   The programme... Al Sit by Suzannah Mirghani (Sudan, 20 minutes) "In a cotton-farming village in Sudan, 15 year old Nafisa has a crush on Babiker but her parents have arranged her marriage to Nadir. Al-Sit, the powerful village matriarch, has her own plans for Nafisa's future. Can Nafisa choose for herself?" Beneath a Mother's Feet by Elias Suhail (Morocco, 15 minutes) "A single mother in Morocco, trapped in a mundane existence, confronts her dreams and fears, leading to the agonising decision to forsake all she knows, even her children." An Orange from Jaffa by Mohammed Almughanni (Palestine, 26 minutes) "Mohammed is desperately looking for a taxi to take him through an Israeli checkpoint. But when the driver discovers that Mohammed has already failed to cross the checkpoint, trouble begins."   Presented by Sarah Agha.Audio recorded by Southbank Centre.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy.Episode mixing and mastering: Aodhagán O’Flaherty. Special thanks to Counterpoint Arts for partnering on this event.

Episode 5: Farah Nabulsi on 'The Teacher' Farah Nabulsi is a multi award winning Palestinian British filmmaker and human rights advocate. Her short 'The Present' won a BAFTA Award for Best British Short Film and an Academy Award Nomination for Best Live Action Short at the Oscars (2021). It is available to watch now on Netflix.Farah’s most recent work 'The Teacher' had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2023 and marks her feature length directorial debut.  Logline: “A Palestinian school teacher finds himself caught between his risky commitment to political resistance and his emotional support for one of his most promising students.”   Series One : Palestinian Cinema.Produced and presented by Sarah Agha.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy. Episode mixing and mastering: Aodhagán O’Flaherty.

Episode 4 : Annemarie Jacir on 'Wajib'. Annemarie has written, directed and produced over sixteen films with festival premieres at Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno and Toronto. All three of her features were Palestine’s Oscar entries.  She is the founder of the production company Philistine Films and the co-founder of the artist-run space Dar Jacir for Art & Research in her hometown of Bethlehem.   The story of 'Wajib' follows an estranged father and son who must come together to hand deliver wedding invites as per traditional Palestinian custom. But as the pair spend the day together, can they put their differences aside or will the tense relationship comes to a head? Wajib is available to rent online from the BFI iPlayer, Apple TV and more. Series One : Palestinian Cinema.Produced and presented by Sarah Agha.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy. Episode mixing and mastering: Aodhagán O’Flaherty.

Episode 3: Ameen Nayfeh on '200 Metres'. Ameen Nayfeh is a Palestinian filmmaker from Tulkarem who wrote and directed 200 Metres, based on his experiences growing up in the occupied West Bank. 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.” The film starring Ali Suleiman premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2020 and has won multiple awards worldwide. It is available to watch now on Netflix. Series One : Palestinian Cinema.Produced, presented and edited by Sarah Agha.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy.This episode also includes a short section from the film's soundtrack composed by Faraj Suleiman .

Episode 2: Lina Soualem on 'Bye Bye Tiberias'. Lina is an actress and filmmaker of Palestinian and Algerian heritage, born and raised in Paris. Through intimate storytelling, the film explores the life, love and losses of Lina's mother - the Palestinian actress and star of HBO's 'Succession' - Hiam Abbas. 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.” Bye Bye Tiberias premiered in 2023 at Venice International Film Festival and went on to screen at some of the world’s most prestigious festivals including Toronto, the BFI London Film Festival, the IDFA & many more. It was also chosen to represent Palestine at the Oscars 2024 and was nominated as Best Documentary at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards.   Series One : Palestinian Cinema.Produced and presented by Sarah Agha.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy.

Episode 1 : Darin J. Sallam on 'Farha' Darin wrote and directed Farha  - a feature film depicting how one girl’s life was torn apart by the Nakba. Nakba is Arabic for Catastrophe and refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in 1948. In the film we meet a Palestinian father in 1948 who hides his 14-year-old daughter inside a locked pantry and promises to return. Locked inside for days, Farha watches the Nakba unfold through a small crack in the door. The film had it’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021 and was selected as Jordan’s official entry to the Oscars that year. Darin later won an Asia Pacific Screen Award, also known as an Asian Oscars. Farha is available to watch on Netflix.   Series One : Palestinian Cinema.Produced, presented and edited by Sarah Agha.Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.Music composed by Mina Samy.

Series One : Palestinian Cinema. Launches 1st May. Music by Mina Samy.