About the Festival

The Arab-Muslim world is the most embattled region in the world and its peoples are the most scrutinized - even vilified - people on the planet. How do Arab films reflect this situation? How is cinematographic production affected by the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Lebanon? How do Arab filmmakers deal with the issues of immigration, gender equality, terrorism, political prisoners and other burning issues? Does cinema provide a refuge from the painful reality, or does it provide a safe ground to confront it? Mizna’s Twin Cities Fifth Arab Film Festival might not provide the answers for these questions, but it hopes to initiate the discussion.

Mizna’s Arab Film Festival was designed to meet two basic needs: to introduce authentic Arab and Muslim culture to the American public, and to offer the Arab-Muslim communities in the US a genuine forum where complex, even sensitive issues can be freely and safely discussed.

dates

Thursday October 16, 2008 - Sunday October 19, 2008

location

The Historic Heights Theater
3951 Central Avenue NE
Columbia Heights, MN, 55421

Click here for directions

Festival Committee

Kathy Haddad
Semya Hakim
Amy Kamel
Reem El-Radi
Leah Wilkes
Nadine Allaf
Khaldoun Sammam
Omar Tesdell
Ali Momeni
Bethany Orlikowsky (Intern)
Katie Murphy (Intern)

Program, Publicity and Designs: Aissa Deebi, Lana Barkawi, Rasha Hamid

More Info

You may contact us at mizna at mizna dot org for specific questions about the festival or current and future volunteering and sponsorship opportunities.

Please refer to the tickets page for individual movie ticket prices and festival passes.

Please refer to the complete film schedule for showtimes and special events.