Safar Film Festival Presents A Journey Through Arab Cinema

The Arab British Film Festival announces its fourth festival with a rare programme of never seen before films from the Arab world – adapted from or inspired by works of literature. This year’s themes focuses on the enduring and symbolic relastionship between literature and film, presenting both a rich and diverse programme showcasing more than 50 years of classic films and contemporary storytelling.
The bond between literature and Arab cinema is deeply embedded in and greatly significant to the broader culture following World War II. Book adaptations were extremely popular with film audiences.
Safar Film Festival 2018 will address an important and fertile period of filmmaking and writing, bringing forth classics from the likes of Egypt, Syria, Morroco, Tunisia and Algeria from some of the most famous directors and authors of this particular region. The event will showcase many different films and adaptation for many to love and enjoy.
This year’s currator is renowed Egyptian film critic Joseph Fahim who says of the programme “This year, we wanted to expand the scope of Safar beyond contemporary Arab film, demonstrating the rich and still largely unknown history of our cinema. This year’s theme – literature in film – pushed us to think outside the box and gave us an opportunity to showcase classics seldom screened outside the Arab World, such as El-Tareeq, an Egyptian film noir par excellence.”
The festival will run from 13-18 September 2018 at the ICA and Cine Lumiere, London presented by the Arab British Centre.
> Iimaan Awed