Seattle Arab Film Festival 2023 – Day 1: May 13

TICKETS:
There are two screenings each day of the festival; a single ticket will grant access to both screenings that day.

  • $14 General
  • $10 Student/Child/Senior
  • $7 NWFF Member
Click for Accessibility Info

Ticketing, concessions, cinemas, restrooms, and our public edit lab are located on Northwest Film Forum’s ground floor, which is wheelchair accessible. All doors in Northwest Film Forum are non-motorized, and may require staff assistance to open. Our upstairs workshop room is not wheelchair accessible.

We have a limited number of assistive listening devices available for programs hosted in our larger theater, Cinema 1. These devices are maintained by the Technical Director, and can be requested at the ticketing and concessions counter. Also available at the front desk is a Sensory Kit you can borrow, which includes a Communication Card, noise-reducing headphones, and fidget toys.

The Forum does NOT have assistive devices for the visually impaired, and is not (yet) a scent-free venue. Our commitment to increasing access for our audiences is ongoing, and we welcome all public input on the subject!

If you have additional specific questions about accessibility at our venue, please contact our Patron Services Manager at maria@nwfilmforum.org. Our phone number (206-329-2629) is voicemail-only, but we check it often.

Made possible due to a grant from Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Sensory Access, our Sensory Access document presents a visual and descriptive walk-through of the NWFF space. View it in advance of attending an in-person event at bit.ly/nwffsocialnarrativepdf, in order to prepare yourself for the experience.

⚠️ Covid-19 Policies ⚠️

NWFF patrons will be required to wear masks that cover both nose and mouth while in the building. Disposable masks are available at the door for those who need them. We are not currently checking vaccination cards. Recent variants of COVID-19 readily infect and spread between individuals regardless of vaccination status.

Read more about NWFF’s policies regarding cleaning, masks, and capacity limitations here.

FAQ: How do I watch in person?
  • Purchase your ticket through Brown Paper Tickets; come to the show!
  • There are two screenings each day of the festival; a single ticket will grant access to both screenings that day.
  • You can also purchase a ticket on the day of the screening at Northwest Film Forum’s box office (1515 12th Ave, Seattle).
FAQ: How do I watch online?
  • This year’s festival is available only for in-person viewing.

May 13 at 7pm | Short Documentaries

Showcasing a diversity of voices and stories, this program offers a nuanced and complex picture of Arab life.

TRT: 53 min

Abeille

(Mouna Ben Hammed, Tunisia, 2022, 7 min)

The powerful story of a Black woman from subsaharan Africa, now living in Tunisia, about her life in Tunis, the struggles she has faced, and her hopes for the future.

O'ud

(Ghassan Fadi Sidawi, Lebanon, 2023, 18 min)

A documentary chronicling the rise of the late refugee artist Mohammad El Agha in the Palestinian folk band Hanin and his personal connection to the filmmaker.

A Very Obnoxious Thing

(Ahmed Khalil Ali, Egypt, 2022, 15 min)

Three women of different ages share their personal fears as they try to remember their past and live in the present.

Conversations with an Actress

(Estephan Khattar, Lebanon, 2022, 13 min)

A Lebanese actress recounts her experiences over two years. She discusses Beirut, love, failure, immigration, and the obstacles she has faced in her life and career.


May 13 at 8:30pm | Loss and Resilience

Honoring the strength, determination, and dignity of people throughout the Arabic-speaking World, these films grapple with themes of remembrance, connection, and hope in the face of suffering and loss.

TRT: 43 min

Palestine 87

(Bilal Alkhatib, Palestine, 2023, 13 min)

A man fleeing the Israeli Army during the First Intifada is sheltered by two strangers who prevent his capture.

Clotheslined

(Patrick Chemali, Lebanon, 2021, 9 min)

Lebanon’s recent history as experienced by a family’s clothesline in Beirut.

Transit

(Baqer Alrubaie, Iraq, 2023, 16 min)

A man responsible for documenting deaths at the hospital answers phone calls from families searching for loved ones who have gone missing during the war.

On Cloud 9

(Said Sami Halawi, Lebanon, 2023, 5 min)

Two friends drive through Beirut, remembering a mutual friend they have lost.


The fourth iteration of the Seattle Arab Film Festival features 13 compelling shorts from a remarkable group of emerging and established filmmakers.

The films are divided into four themed screenings – each ticket includes the two themed screenings of the day – Short Documentaries + Loss and Resilience on Saturday, May 13, and Family Matters + Luck of the Draw on Sunday, May 14.

Each program includes films that will surprise, challenge, and delight audience members, while providing insight into the rich diversity of Arab voices, experiences, and talent.


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Northwest Film Forum
1515 12th Ave,

Seattle, WA 98122

206 329 2629


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