Languages Archives: Arabic

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Two professionally dressed women walk side by side along the Chicago River. They each hold burritos wrapped in foil.

Olympia

  Gregory Dixon

  United States      2018    

Synopsis

Chicago’s own McKenzie Chinn stars as a struggling artist, navigating work and romance in the Windy City. When her boyfriend asks her to drop everything and move cross-country, she soon discovers that she might be the biggest obstacle to her own happiness. Featuring a revelatory central performance, Olympia is a sensitive look at the challenges of embracing adulthood.

 Arabic, English 
  93 minutes

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There are currently no upcoming screenings of this film.

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Let It Be Morning Vayehi Boker

  Eran Kolirin

  Israel      2021    

Synopsis

When Sami returns with his wife and son to his Arabic village for his brother’s wedding, he plans a quick return to Jerusalem, where his business and mistress await. Just as he is leaving, the village is unexpectedly put under lockdown by Israeli soldiers, and Sami finds himself caught in an uneasy web of personal and political intrigues. This adaptation of Sayed Kashua’s 2006 novel mixes wry comedy with a touch of the absurd to create a perceptive, winsome satire.

 Arabic, Hebrew with subtitles 
  101 minutes

Screenings & Events

There are currently no upcoming screenings of this film.

Post-screening discussion presented by: Logo: Citi 161x100

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Peace By Chocolate

  Jonathan Keijser

  Canada      2021    

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.

 Arabic, English with subtitles 
  96 minutes

Screenings & Events

There are currently no upcoming screenings of this film.

Post-Screening Discussion

In-person post-screening discussion with director Jonathan Keijser moderated by film critic Lee Shoquist.

Post-screening discussion presented by: Logo: Citi 161x100

Media

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Wadjda

Wadjda is a 10-year-old girl living in a suburb of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Although she lives in a conservative world, Wadjda is always pushing the boundaries of what she can get away with. After a fight with her friend Abdullah, Wadjda sees a beautiful green bicycle for sale. She wants the bicycle desperately so that she can beat Abdullah in a race. Wadjda’s mother won’t allow it, fearing repercussions from a society that sees bicycles as dangerous to a girl’s virtue. So Wadjda decides to try and raise the money herself. Soon enough, Wadjda’s plans are thwarted when she is caught running various schemes at school. Just as she is losing hope of raising enough money, she hears of a cash prize for a Koran recitation competition at her school. She devotes herself to the memorization and recitation of Koranic verses, determined to continue fighting for her dreams. Wadjda is the first feature length film to be shot completely in Saudi Arabia, as well as the first feature film made by a female Saudi director

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Salaam Dunk

Through traditional interviews and private confessional video diaries, Salaam Dunk follows the ethnically diverse AUIS women’s basketball team as they discover what it means to be athletes. From the joy of their first win to the pain of losing the coach who started their team, the film gives a glimpse into an Iraq we don’t see on the news.

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