Synopsis

A truck filled with workers—women and men, young and old—arrives at an orchard at dawn. The youngest among them head up into the trees to pick figs under the watchful eye of the foreman. They are restless and eager in the summer heat, stealing away from work to catch up, gossip, squabble, and flirt. Over the course of a day in the harvest, each encounter between the workers on the cusp of adulthood is ripe with discovery and connection, as the older women share songs and reminiscences of lives lived and loves lost. Sun-dappled and sensual, Erige Sehiri’s fiction debut captures the promise of first love, the ephemerality of youth, and the sorrows of life with remarkable intimacy and tenderness.

Synopsis

In this wry, absurdist tale of mid-life restlessness, husband and father Waleed dreams of becoming a successful novelist yet is plagued by a severe case of writer’s block. Neither his therapist nor his family are able to offer much support, but when he forges an unlikely connection with his new neighbor, petty criminal Jalal, his fortunes seem to shift. Under the auspices of research for his next novel, Waleed tags along with Jalal on his illicit daily routine, leading to a series of fraught situations that find Waleed out of his depth. Featuring a winsome winsome lead performance from Amer Hlehel and a dry, hilarious script, Mediterranean Fever is a sly, charming story of friendship and personal crisis told with a melancholic wit reminiscent of The Sopranos.

Synopsis

Sensual, arresting, and graceful, The Blue Caftan tells the story of Halim, a master tailor, who spends his days in the back of his shop making beautiful, hand-embroidered caftans. Dedicated to keeping a dying tradition alive, he labors over every stitch to meet his own high standards of perfection, while his wife Mina deals with the customers and the store’s day-to-day business. Their quiet life of routine is thrown off-kilter when Halim reluctantly takes on the earnest if inexperienced Youssef as an apprentice to keep up with orders. The two work together intimately and begin to form a tentative bond that extends beyond that of student and mentor, ever fearful that their mutual attraction will be found out. Director Maryam Touzani captures each tender touch and subtle glance in this visually breathtaking, intensely sympathetic reflection on adoration, love, and longing.

Winner

58th Chicago International Film Festival Silver Hugo: Best Director. Learn more…

Synopsis

When their factory is bombed, a Syrian family flees Damascus and spends three years living as refugees. Eventually arriving in snow-covered rural Nova Scotia, the family must adapt to unfamiliar surroundings. With the help of some friendly locals (and to the chagrin of others), the family begins to rebuild their chocolate business and their lives. This heartwarming story of perseverance and human connection in the face of insurmountable odds is based on Tareq Hadhad’s real-life story.