Twin Cities Arab Film Fest unveils cornerstone screenings with focus on Sudan and Palestine
The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival will return to Minneapolis theaters this fall for its 18th installment, promising a special focus on Palestine and Sudan.
Mizna, the festival organizer, has announced details around the biggest events coming to the festival, which takes place Sept. 25–29.
This year's installment, which takes place as Mizna celebrates its 25th anniversary, will highlight "the catastrophic state faced by much of the SWANA region."
'Bye Bye Tiberias'
Beall Productions
The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival will include, as always, a curated program of films, some of which will be available for online viewing. The festival opens with a screening of Palestine's Oscar entry Bye Bye Tiberias, a documentary on the life of Palestinian actress Hiam Abbas, known for films like Blade Runner 2049 and her role as Marcia Roy on Succession. The film was directed by Abbas' daughter.
While the full festival lineup will be announced closer to the event, other highlights include a free outdoor screening of the Sudanese film Tajouje (1977) under the Third Ave. Bridge on Sept. 26, and a double feature of experimental films by Palestinian director Kamal Aljafari on Sept. 28 at The Main Cinema.
While most screenings will take place at The Main Cinema, the closing night screening of Goodbye Julia, a Sudanese drama, will be held at the Walker Art Center. The film premiered at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and was Sudan's Academy Award entry in 2023. Producer Mohamed Alomd’a will be present for a post-screening discussion.
The fest will also include "Rage Karaoke," a BIPOC filmmaking workshop with Sudanese filmmaker Fatima Wardy, and a special film-focused edition of Mizna's print journal.
All-access passes and four-pack tickets are available now. Passes will be $10 off the usual price through Sept. 13.
