Contemporary Arab Cinema
July 22–28, 2026
This series is a labor of love—born from a simple, urgent belief that Arab filmmakers must be the ones telling our own stories. In a moment when so much feels misread or misunderstood, these films insist on being heard in their own voice. They don’t try to explain the region as much as invite you to feel its contradictions and its quiet resilience. This year’s selection travels from Morocco to Lebanon, Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Palestine to Iraq, moving between the intimate and the expansive, the fragile and the defiant. Together, they offer something rare: a space where we can see ourselves, and be seen, on our own terms. Coming back to Jacob Burns Film Center this year feels especially meaningful. This is where the series first began, and returning for its 14th edition carries both memory and a sense of continuity. This return is not just to a place, but to a shared commitment to storytelling that feels urgent, human, and true. I am genuinely excited to be “coming back home”.
—Series programmer Lina Matta
Co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Contemporary Arab Cinema is co-presented with the Brooklyn Academy of Music and:
This series is made possible through the support of:
