The Sursock Museum and Nadi Lekol Nas are pleased to invite you to the 16th edition of the Arab Short Film Festival, taking place from Monday 13 to Friday 17 May. 

The Arab Short Film Festival (ASFF) is a platform for young filmmakers from Lebanon and the Arab world to showcase their work to the public and the media. This edition spans over 5 days and includes 38 films in competition, 2 seminars, screenings of additional shorts and long features, a music segment, as well as opening and closing ceremonies. The panel of judges is comprised of directors Elie Dagher (Lebanon), Ruba Attieh (Palestine/Lebanon), Bassam Nassar (Lebanon), cinematographer Jocelyne Gebrayel (Lebanon), and manager Reem Bader (Jordan).

Program

Monday 13 May

Opening Ceremony
19:00 till 22:00

A screening of short films for jury members

Premiere of A Suspended Life directed by Jocelyne Saab after its digitization and translation

A Suspended Life
Dir. Jocelyne Saab, 1984
90’, Lebanon/France/Canada
Arabic with English subtitles

The event is free of charge but places are limited, you can book yours here

Tuesday 14 May

17:30 till 18:30

Workshop on short film making with Ely Dagher and Ruba Attieh

19:00 till 20:30 

Les Chenilles
Dir. Michelle & Noel Keserwany, 2023
30’, Lebanon/France
Arabic with English subtitles

When Red Blooms 
Dir. Tala Al Harbi, 2022
6’, Saudi Arabia
Arabic with English subtitles

Marmama
Dir. Majdi Al Omari, 2023
15’, Palestine
Arabic with English subtitles 

Back
Dir. Yazan Rabee, 2022
7’, Syria/Netherlands
Arabic with English subtitles

Bayn
Dir. Tala Amer, 2023
11’, Lebanon
Silent

Sur la Tombe de Mon Père
Dir. Jawahine Zentar, 2022
24’, Morocco/France
French and Arabic with English subtitles 

21:00 till 22:40 

I’m Afraid You Forget Me 
Dir. Omnia Swedan, 2023
5’, Egypt 
Arabic with English subtitles

Happy Hours
Dir. Yara Gebara, 2023
23’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Zoo
Dir. Tareq Remawi, 2022
8', Jordan/Germany
Arabic with English subtitles

Unveiling Salma
Dir. Mariam Al Sarkal & Maaria Sayed, 2022
14’, UAE/India
Arabic with English subtitles

A Self Portrait of Four Chapters
Dir. Sleiman Al Tinawi & Ayham Ateya, 2022
14’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

She Said No
Dir. Sondos Shbayek, 2022
11’, Egypt/Germany
Arabic with English subtitles

Happy Land
Dir. Nour Khayre AlAnam, 2022
23’, Syria 
Arabic with English subtitles

Wednesday 15 May

17:30 till 18:30

Screening of Zyara to Yemen by Muriel Aboulrouss and Denise Jabbour created in 2024 in partnership with the ICTJ
 
19:00 till 20:30

Radio
Dir. Joseph Khallouf, 2023
22’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Searching for Abbas Kiarostami
Dir. Mallas Twins, 2024
12’, Syria/France
Arabic and French with English subtitles

Art Choke
Dir. Joe Mouannes, 2023
13’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Palestine 87
Dir. Bilal Al Khatib, 2022
12’, Palestine
Arabic with English subtitles

Maghreb’s Hop
Dir. Bassem Ben Ibrahim, 2023
23’, Tunisia
Arabic and French with English subtitles

A Letter from Anonymous
Dir. Loai Galal, 2023
13’, Egypt
Arabic with English subtitles

21:00 to 22:30
 
By the Sea
Dir. Wissam Al Jafari, 2021
13’, Palestine
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Waiting Room
Dir. Yesmine Bin Saleh, 2023
26’, Tunisia/Germany
Arabic, German, French, and English with English subtitles
 
Blue
Dir. Ammar Zainal, 2022
5’, Bahrain
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Fetus in His Third Decade
Dir. Ahmad Kanaan, 2023
26’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles
 
A Calling. From the Desert. To the Sea
Dir. Murad Abu Eisheh, 2022
17’, Jordan
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Agnes Genesis
Dir. Zoe Abou Nader, 2023
13’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Thursday 16 May

17:30 till 18:30
 
A discussion with Reem Badr and Hady Zaccak on film funding
 
19:00 till 20:30
 
The Key
Dir. Rakan Mayassi, 2023
19’, Palestine/Belgium/Qatar/France
Hebrew with Arabic subtitles

Upon This Land
Dir. Remie Maksoud, 2024
6’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Cinema Dunia
Dir. Amro Ali, 2023
15’, Syria
Arabic with English subtitles

Truce Attempts
Dir. Razan Aridi, 2023
20’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

Flesh and Blood
Dir. Ines Arsi, 2022
19’, Tunisia
Arabic with English subtitles

The Sea
Dir. Belal Abu Samra, 2023
7’, Egypt
Silent

Conversations with an Actress
Dir. Estephan Khatar, 2022
12’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles

21:00 till 22:30
 
A Movie for Mariana Al Khaled
Dir. Habib Sadaka, 2022
20’, Lebanon
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Naima’s Movie
Dir. Sami Seif Saire ElKhatim, 2023
12’, Morocco/Sudan
Arabic with English subtitles
 
My Mother’s Hands
Dir. Kardina Hemn, 2022
13’, Iraq
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Tahtouh…Conscience of a Village
Dir. Ouali Mohamad, 2021
26’, Algeria
Arabic with English subtitles
 
Doors
Dir. Ribal Chedid, 2022
21’, Lebanon
Arabic and English subtitles

Friday 17 May

Closing Ceremony 
19:00 till 22:00
 
A Music Segment with Ahmad Kaabour

Film Screening of The Dupes by Tewfiq Saleh 
 
The Dupes
Dir. Tewfiq Saleh, 1972
107’, Syria
In Arabic with English subtitles

The event is free of charge but places are limited, you can book yours here.