Bahari and more

Bahari

2011. Egypt. Directed by Ahmed Ghoneimy. With Amr Wishahy, Yasser Beltagy, Mohamed El Sayed. Inspired by the filmmaker's own experiences, Bahari explores the relationship between the production of images, documentary cinema, and the public perception of the motivations behind these practices, specifically in the era of heavy surveillance and citizen journalism. In Arabic; English subtitles. 12 min.

Man of Ashes

1986. Tunisia. Directed by Nouri Bouzid. With Imed Maalal, Khaled Ksouri, Habib Belhadi. Hachemi, a young cabinetmaker from Sfax, is about to get married—and has a case of cold feet. Hanging out with his two best friends is where he seems most comfortable, even though they share a painful secret from the past. Bouzid's film explores the everyday life of a young Tunisian male: the patriarchal family dynamics and arranged marriages, the sexual taboos, the divided world of men and women—but also the shared culture of people of different religious faiths. This award-winning classic of Tunisian cinema is an honest, unflinching depiction of traditional masculine roles and identity. In Arabic; English subtitles. 108 min.