Farha

Farha

Darin J. Sallam

Jordan, Sweden, Saudi Arabia

2021 | 92’ | Feature Fiction

Inspired by true events, Farha tells the story of a young girl whose dreams change from seeking an education in the city to survival in Palestine, 1948.

Darin J. Sallam’s unflinching debut feature revisits the violence of the Nakba - the forced expulsion of 700,000 Palestinian Arabs from their homeland - through the eyes of the titular teenager.

SAFAR Film Festival

The SAFAR Film Festival is the only festival in the UK dedicated to cinema from the Arab world. Founded in 2012, SAFAR offers a unique space for audiences to explore and celebrate Arab cinema past, present, and future.

The 2022 edition is an important milestone for the festival. SAFAR is celebrating its 10 year anniversary and is, for the first time, expanding to screen in 7 other UK cities alongside its flagship London festival.

Curated by Rabih El-Khoury, this year’s theme, The Stories We Tell in Arab Cinema, invites you to go back to the very essence of filmmaking: storytelling. Featuring UK premieres, new releases and classics, the film selection explores the devices used by Arab filmmakers to push cinematic boundaries, reclaim overlooked histories, and present new perspectives to audiences both at home and abroad. It sees controversial characters run amok and experimentations in form blend the traditional with the radical. Period pieces bring colonial traumas to the global stage and social issues are inspected through surreal and fantastical lenses.

Live discussions will unpack the role of the storyteller and examine the power that lies within the industry to build worlds, shape memories and change perceptions. It’ll look at who’s telling the stories, who isn’t, and why that matters. An industry programme will offer emerging filmmakers networking and development opportunities.

SAFAR Film Festival: The Stories We Tell in Arab Cinema runs from 1-17 July with screenings in London, Coventry, Cardiff, Glasgow, Hull, Liverpool, Manchester and Plymouth. More films will also be available to watch by donation on the SAFAR website.

Explore the full programme on www.safarfilmfestival.co.uk