MENA Movies Showing At The Red Sea International Film Festival

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‘Norah’

In his debut film, Tawfik Alzaidi captures AlUla's beauty in 1996. Nader, a former aspiring artist turned rural teacher, mentors talented teen Norah, envisioning a future where she breaks free from societal constraints to unleash her creativity.

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‘Mandoob’

Ali Kalthami's film portrays a financially desperate man who turns to delivering and stealing from bootleggers. Celebrating Riyadh honestly, Kalthami embraces its unpolished parts, refusing to gloss over gritty realities.

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‘Dalma’

Emirati director Humaid Alsuwaidi's recent film is set on an island in the Arabian Gulf. Dana, inheriting her late father's run-down house, renovates it and clashes with island residents by renting it to tourists.

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‘Inshallah A Boy’

Amjad Al-Rasheed's debut, the first Jordanian film at Cannes, follows Nawal, a widowed nurse in East Amman. Left with just her late husband's truck, she pretends to be pregnant to resist her brother-in-law Rifqi's efforts to claim Adnan's assets, including her apartment.

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‘Backstage’

Tunisian directors Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane's first film centers on a contemporary dance group. After star performer Aida is injured by her partner Hedi in Marrakesh, the group's bus journey for medical help turns into a revealing night walk through the forest, strengthening the dancers' bonds.

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‘Behind The Mountains’

In Tunisian director Mohamed Ben Attia's compelling narrative, recently released Rafik, eager to reconnect with his son Yassine, explores magical realism. Believing he can fly, Rafik takes Yassine to the mountains, leaving the audience to contemplate the possibility.

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‘Six Feet Over’

Karim Bensalah's film follows Sofiane, an Algerian student in Lyon confronting deportation after a visa revocation. To secure his status, he works in a Muslim funeral home, deepening his connection to Arab heritage.

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‘The Teacher’

Farah Nabulsi's debut feature portrays a Palestinian teacher grieving his child and an American couple seeking to rescue their son, an Israeli soldier kidnapped by a resistance group. This challenges stereotypes, providing insight into the marginalized lives and struggles of these individuals.