Middle East Now Festival in Florence Focuses on Women Filmmakers and Photographers

The Middle East Now festival, directed by Lisa Chiari and Roberto Ruta, runs in Florence until April 15. It features a multidisciplinary program including theater, film, and exhibitions. A focus on Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir includes a retrospective and the opening film 'Wajib', which premiered at international festivals and was Palestine's Oscar 2018 entry. The film explores father-son relationships through the tradition of hand-delivering wedding invitations. Jacir will attend the festival. Two exhibitions by Iraqi photographer Tamara Abdul Hadi are presented: 'The People's Salon' at Fondazione Studio Marangoni until May 31, celebrating Middle Eastern barbers as social hubs, and 'Flying Boys' at Cinema La Compagnia. The festival screens 43 films from 15 countries, including Sudan for the first time, with 31 Italian premieres. Themes include political extremism, the Syrian conflict, and social change, exemplified by 'The Poetess' about Saudi poet Hissa Hilal. A video installation by Saudi-British artist Ahaad Alamoundi reinterprets the Cheetah comic character. Side events include talks curated by Felicetta Ferraro, Arabic lessons by Maha Yakoub, and live performances. Three awards will be given: Middle East Now Audience Award, Best Short Film by NYU Florence, and Best OFF short.