Check out the full #AFF2018 schedule and buy tickets here!

Written by Farrah Berrou

Arab films at the Academy Awards have come a long way. The first breakthrough in the Best Foreign Language Film category was Youssef Chahine’s 1959 Cairo Station. Though it missed the nomination, this was only the start of multiple Middle Eastern attempts to snag the coveted chance to take home a gold trophy.

Let’s take a look at some of the films that will showing at the 22nd Arab Film Festival which will also be taking a shot at the nomination this year:

Film still from Ghost Hunting

Ghost Hunting (Palestine)
1hr 34min – Documentary, Fiction
Directed by Raed Andoni

Palestinian director, Raed Andoni, takes his own story of being locked up at age 18 in Israel’s main interrogation center, Al-Moskobiya, and recreates it visually with the help of other former prisoners. Via reconstruction through memories and experiences, the prison takes shape and the tale of what went on between cell walls begins to unravel.

Ghost Hunting will be showing on Oct 19th at 7:20pm at The New Parkway Theater.

Film still from Yomeddine

Yomeddine (Egypt)
1hr 37min – Narrative Feature
Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky

Egypt, the country that has submitted films for the foreign-language film Oscar running since the 1950’s but never snagged the nomination, is in the race again with Yomeddine, the first feature from director & Tisch-grad, Abu Bakr Shawky. The film tackles leprosy via the main character and his apprentice as they leave the confines of a leprosy colony and embark on a journey across Egypt in search of family members.

Yomeddine will be showing on Oct 13th at 5:00pm at The Roxie Theater

Check out the full #AFF2018 schedule and buy tickets here!