Screenings of Arab films at the Toronto Film Festival 2021
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is set to return for its 50th edition next month, showcasing a diverse range of films from around the globe. Among the notable selections are several films from the Middle East, featuring both established and emerging voices.
One of the most anticipated Arab films at TIFF is Palestine 36 by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir. This historical drama, set during the 1936 Arab revolt against British rule in Palestine, promises to be a powerful exploration of resistance, family, and political tensions at that time. The film boasts an international cast including Jeremy Irons, Liam Cunningham, Dhafer L’Abidine, and Palestinian actors Hiam Abbass and Saleh Bakri. It will have its world premiere as a Gala Screening at TIFF, drawing on rare archival footage. Jacir, a prominent figure in Palestinian cinema, has been developing this film since before the pandemic, with funding from the Red Sea Film Fund (Saudi Arabia) and Qatar’s Katara Studios.
Another standout film is Sink (Gharaq) by Jordanian-Palestinian filmmaker Zain Duraie. This debut feature, selected for TIFF’s Discovery program, is an 88-minute drama exploring the relationship between a mother and her teenage son who struggles with an undiagnosed mental illness. The film stars Palestinian actress Clara Khoury and Jordanian actor Mohammad Nizar. Duraie describes the film as deeply personal and honest, aiming to elevate narratives rooted in Jordanian society.
In addition to these films, Calle Malaga by Haifaa Al Mansour, known for Wadjda and The Perfect Candidate, is a Spanish-language feature about a 74-year-old woman refusing to part with her home. French-Tunisian artist Fredj Moussa's film Land of Barbar is inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio's The Decameron and premieres in Tiff's Wavelengths section.
The festival will open with John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary about the life and career of the beloved comedian by Colin Hanks. The festival will also screen With Hasan in Gaza alongside Basma al-Sharif's short It's So Beautiful Here. The latter captures a horse ride through a Gaza farm at dusk in just four minutes, while the former is a film reworked from footage shot in 2001 and rediscovered years later.
The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the world's largest and most influential film festivals, providing a platform for filmmakers from around the globe to showcase their work. This year's Platform programme jury is led by Spanish filmmaker Carlos Marques-Marcet. The festival will take place from September 4 to 14 this year.
Other Middle Eastern films not specifically mentioned in the search results for TIFF 2025 may also be part of the festival program. Zahraa Ghandour, an Iraqi filmmaker and actress, is set to present her documentary Flana, exploring the disappearances of women in Iraq. Kamal Aljafari's film The Voice of Hind Rajab is based on the final hours of a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed by the Israeli military in Gaza in early 2024. Basma Al Sharif's film It's So Beautiful Here is another short film from the region, capturing a powerful impact in just four minutes.
These Middle Eastern films represent both historical and contemporary stories with intimate human dimensions, presenting both established and emerging voices from the region.
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