12th Arab Film Festival kicks off in Seoul
Poster for the 12th Arab Film Festival / Courtesy of Korea-Arab Society
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Encompassing a variety of genres including action, adventure, thriller, comedy, drama and documentary, the 12th Arab Film Festival showcases the richness of Arabic cinema in Seoul at Arthouse Momo, running until Aug. 6.
Organized by the Korea-Arab Society, the festival is one of the largest events promoting Arab culture and the only film festival in Korea featuring films from Arabic-speaking nations.
This year, films from nine Arab countries ― Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ― are shown under the theme of "Joy of Arabic Movies."
"Held annually, the Arab Film Festival is a much-anticipated event by Arabic cinema enthusiasts. It serves as a window to the often unfamiliar Arab culture, providing a platform for audiences to gain insight into the Arab world," the Korea-Arab Society said in a statement.
"It also plays an important role in providing audiences with a deeper understanding of the Arab world by highlighting the present and past of Arab countries from a variety of perspectives."
From top, scenes from the films "All Roads Lead to Rome," "Heliopolis" and "Kira & El Gin" / Courtesy of Korea-Arab Society
On Aug. 5, after screening "All Roads Lead to Rome," Lebanese director Lara Saba and actress Betty Taoutel will join Korean audiences for an online guest visit. On Aug. 6, film critic Lee Hwa-jung will talk about Arab movies with the film's programmer after the screening of "Heliopolis," an Algerian film about the country's independence movement after the end of World War II.
Before arriving in Seoul, the films were showcased at Busan Cinema Center from July 27-30 with the Egyptian film "Kira & El Gin" directed by Marwan Hamed marking the opening of the festival.
After the showings in Seoul, the films will be available for online viewing for free at the Arab Film Festival's channel on Naver TV from Aug. 7 to 13.
Other films shown at the festival include "Al Kameen (Ambush)" from the UAE, "Within Sand" from Saudi Arabia, "Mediterranean Fever" from Palestine and Qatar, "The Alleys" of Jordan and "A'ZEEJ" and "The Druj" from Oman.