Film-Forward

Middle East

West of the Jordan River

All director Amos Gitai is saying is, give peace a chance.

The Insult

Two men’s ill-tempered argument over a broken drainpipe leads to a hurled curse, a savage punch, a vendetta, and a courtroom showdown.

In the Land of Pomegranates

Israeli and Palestinian youth explore the possibility of finding common ground among the chaos.

Disturbing the Peace

All they are saying, in Hebrew and Arabic, is give peace a chance.

Sand Storm

Balancing Bedouin tradition and modern life is a rocky path for women.

In Between | Toronto 2016

A gem from Israel about three female Palestinian roommates in Tel Aviv. Tough and touching.

Barakah Meets Barakah | Toronto 2016

One of the more pointedly political (and funny) Middle Eastern films to play the festival circuit of late.

A Hologram for the King

This coming-of-middle-age film gives us a hero who has nothing and plops him in the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert. It becomes a subtle examination of aging and alienation that isn’t afraid to laugh at itself.

Our Man in Tehran

Directed by Drew Taylor and Larry Weinstein Canada. 85 min. Not rated This 2013 documentary retells the real-life story of the six U.S. Embassy workers who sought refuge from the Canadian ambassador while their co-workers were taken hostage in Iran in 1979. This saga was depicted in Oscar-winning fashion by director/star Ben Affleck in his […]