Seven Arab movies set to screen at Toronto International Film Festival

Oscar-nominated Palestinian director's follow-up act, Algerian dramedy and collection of short Gazan films lead line-up

Perfumed with Mint, the debut feature by director Muhammad Hamdy, is a surreal exploration of a desolate Cairo. Photo: Reason8

Toronto International Film Festival is set to continue its tradition of strong Arab representation with seven films from the region set to screen this year.

While last year's slate was headlined by flicks from the Gulf, including the three Saudi films Mandoob, Naga and Hajjan, next month's festival features stories from across the Middle East and North Africa.

Here's a look at the seven set to screen at the event, which begins on September 6.

Drama 1882

Egyptian artist Wael Shawky is renowned for his examinations of the Middle East’s history using performance, sculpture and film to address lapses in documentation. His Cabaret Crusades trilogy, for instance, sought to examine the Crusades from an Arab perspective. The films featured glass and ceramic marionettes, as well as sculptures.

Drama 1882 is wrought by a similar artistic bend and with mesmerising scenography. The film revolves around Col Ahmed Urabi, who led an uprising in Egypt between 1879 and 1882 that sought to overthrow the khedive Tewfik Pasha and thwart French and British imperial influence.

Originally performed as a musical play, the film was directed, choreographed and composed by Shawky. It features elaborate costumes and set designs, as well as a troupe of professional performers singing in classical Arabic. The film puts to question themes of colonialism, resistance and historical narrative.

Perfumed with Mint

Even before becoming a director, Muhammad Hamdy had already established himself in the film world as a cinematographer. He won an Emmy in 2014 for his work on The Square, which delves into the Arab uprisings in 2011.

Perfumed with Mint is the Egyptian filmmaker’s debut work as a director. The film is a surreal exploration of a desolate Cairo. It centres on a lovelorn doctor and his friend, Mahdy, as they seek to outrun the ghosts of their past. In this nightmarish journey, Mahdy is struck with an uncanny condition where mint sprouts from his body.

Sudan, Remember Us

Hind Meddeb’s Sudan, Remember Us begins in the spring of 2019 during a fleeting moment of jubilation after the overthrowing of the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir.

Activists congregated in Khartoum calling for a citizen government through murals, music and poetry. Sudan, Remember Us captures the mirth of the moment and the prospects that vitalised the country’s youth.

However, a military crackdown soon began. Sudan, Remember Us chronicles the violence that ensued. It shows the downward spiral that took hold as factions collaborated with foreign arms suppliers. More than 15,000 have been killed and eight million displaced as a result of the war.

To a Land Unknown

Mahdi Fleifel’s To a Land Unknown, which had its premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival, follows two Palestinian cousins who become stranded in Athens after fleeing a refugee camp in Lebanon. They are desperately trying to make their way to Germany, setting up a plan to smuggle a child to Italy with the help of a Greek woman.

The film, Davide Abbatescianni writes for The National, is an unflinching look at the life of migrants, “a modern tragedy with the pacing and the tension of an action thriller".

From Ground Zero

Spearheaded by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, From Ground Zero is a collection of 22 short films made by Gazan filmmakers offering an evocative view of the current reality in Gaza. The collection aims to highlight the tragedies in the enclave and the measures people have to take to survive.

It offers a more personal perspective of the situation in Gaza, highlighting stories told by Gazans themselves. “Chronicling the lives of people too often discussed in reference to numbers and refugee camps, From Ground Zero is an extraordinary time capsule, an urgent response to an ongoing catastrophe, and an artist’s call to bear witness,” Tiff's website reads.

Front Row

Front Row is Algerian filmmaker Merzak Allouache’s 19th feature film. It is a dramedy that centres on a feud between matriarchs as they vie for the best spot at the beach: the front row, which has a view of the horizon uninhibited by parasols and crowds.

The film is replete with idiosyncratic characters that make Front Row as funny as it is heartwarming.

Happy Holidays

Oscar-nominated Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s second feature film, Happy Holidays, is a family drama. It follows a chain of events that are sparked by a minor car accident.

“Structured like a vine of interior portraits, a ruinous mixture of personal quests, poor choices, and intractable social pressures test the stamina of cherished relationships, both well-worn and still blooming,” Tiff's website reads.