A Series of Shorts
January 23rd 2018 at 7:30 p.m. at The Yard, Al Serkal Avenue, Dubai

Join us for a screening of a selection of Palestinian shorts. Shorts will be screened one after another for one single seating. Seating is on a first come, first served basis. Come early to avoid disappointment. 

The Parrot
Directed by Darin J. Sallam, Amjad Al-Rasheed
Narrative / 2016 / 18 minutes / Arabic (English Subtitles) / PG

Shortly after the declaration of the State of Israel in May 1948, a Mizrahi Jewish family emigrates from Tunisia to Palestine. Mousa, the insecure head of the family, his wife Rachel and their seven year old daughter Aziza try to settle into life in the city of Haifa. Entering their newly assigned home, the family is surprised by the haste with which the former Palestinian occupants must have fled. Among their many leftovers, the Jewish family finds one particularly troublesome – a big blue talking parrot called Saeed. Like an annoying poltergeist from the past, it haunts the family in their new life. The situation escalates when Mousa invites their Ashkenazi neighbors over, hoping to benefit from the social influence of the wealthy family. The one thing he did not reckon with was Saeed telling story of days past.

​Five Boys and a Wheel 
Directed by Said Zagha
Drama / 2016 / 20 mins / Arabic (English Subtitles) / PG

A young father has to help his son out of a petty conflict with the neighbors. As the parents of each respective family are summoned to discuss the issue at hand, the discussions begin to quickly spin out of control, putting the values of the father to test.

Ayny
Directed by Ahmed Saleh
Drama / 2016 / 11 mins / Arabic (English Subtitles) / PG
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Based on true events, Ayny follows two young boys who run away from their mother's protection and slack line on the danger of war to play music with the instrument they always dreamt to own.

​Drowning Man
Directed by Mahdi Fleifel
Drama / 2017 / 15 mins / Arabic (English Subtitles) / PG-15

Alone and far from home, The Kid make his way through a strange city looking for the means to get through his day. Surrounded by predators he is forced to make compromises merely to survive, his life of exile grows one day longer.

Beneath the Earth
Directed by Sami Alalul
Documentary / 2017 / 21 mins / Arabic (English Subtitles) / PG

In Palestine, music is more than just a creative outlet: it's a social tool that amplifies the voices of marginalized communities to transform the entire narrative of the occupation. Mideast Tunes has partnered with Ramallah-based production company Breathing Stories to produce From Beneath the Earth, a documentary film that showcases the work and artistic perspectives of Palestinian musicians in their own words. Featuring Maysa Daw (DAM), Saaleek, Shadi Zaqtan, Apo & the Apostles, and Rasha Nahas, From Beneath the Earth amplifies voices rising from the underground to express both the personal and the political, and explores the intersections that exist at the heart of music created by Palestinian artists. From Beneath the Earth is the first installment of a new Mideast Tunes docu-series that delves into underground music scenes across the region.