Co-presented by the Goethe-Institut Toronto
Toronto Arab Film (TAF) is the focal point and hub of Arab films in Canada, through year-round screenings and an annual festival, and provides a supportive and ambitious platform for Arab films in Canada.
TAF engages and educates members of the Arab and Canadian communities and beyond through film. The initiative provides a platform and industry hub for emerging, mid-career, and established Arab and diaspora filmmakers and screens diverse works.
The first Toronto Arab Film Festival (TAFF) shows features and short films, fiction, documentary and experimental works from local and international Arab filmmakers. The season will launch with the Mokhtabar Film Series, the festivals experimental film screening.
The Goethe-Institut is proud to co-present German-Arab co-productions at the Toronto Arab Film Festival:
Festival Feature:
"Talking About Trees" (Germany, Sudan, France, Chad, Qatar 2019, 94min) by Suhaib Gasmelbari
July 24 7pm EDT / 6pm CDT / 5pm MDT / 4pm PDT / 8pm ADT
Four older Sudanese filmmakers with passion for film battle to bring cinema-going back to Sudan, not without resistance. Their 'Sudanese Film Club' have decided to revive an old cinema, and again draw attention to Sudanese film history. The film intermittently weaves in clips from their films, many which were lost or banned due to their political leanings.
"Talking About Trees" won the Documentary and Panorama Audience Awards at Berlinale 2019.
Followed by a panel discussion:
"
Film is Dead, Long Live Film — Reviving the Arts in Sudan"
Hosted by Iman Abbaro
Speakers: Nehal El-Hadi & other speakers
"Four Acts for Syria" (Germany, Syria 2018, 14 min) by Wared Abo Qaba
July 25 7pm EDT / 6pm CDT / 5pm MDT / 4pm PDT / 8pm ADT
Syrian history has been multicultural for centuries. This film is a voyage through Syrian culture until today’s insanity. It is a message of peace and hope for the Syrian people.
"Maradona’s Legs" (Germany, Palestine 2019, 20min) by Firas Khoury
July 26 7pm EDT / 6pm CDT / 5pm MDT / 4pm PDT / 8pm ADT
During the 1990 World Cup, two young Palestinian boys are looking for “Maradona’s legs”; the last missing sticker that they need in order to complete their world cup album and win a free Atari.
The road to finding “Maradona’s Legs” is paved with self-discovery, questions of identity, and a good dose of passion for the beautiful game of soccer.
"I Am Fatou" (Germany, Egypt, Italy 2019, 18min) by Amir Ramadan
July 26 7pm EDT / 6pm CDT / 5pm MDT / 4pm PDT / 8pm ADT
Fatou is a 23-year-old Italian girl of Senegalese origin. She lives in a suburb of Rome with her mother, who would like to educate her according to the rigid impositions of her culture of origin. But Fatou is looking for her own identity that combines her black Muslim background with Italian society, and unlike most of her peers, the social stigma of the immigrant is imprinted on her. It isolates her and reduces her friendships with other children of foreigners. Her authentic passion and protection against prejudice is singing: Music will never betray her.
Mokhtabar Film Screening + Panel Discussion
"All Come From Dust" (Tunisia, 9 min) by Younes Ben Slimane
July 11 2pm EDT / 1pm CDT / 12pm MDT / 11am PDT / 10am ADT
Supported by the Goethe-Institut Tunisia
A loop of edgeless bend. You were its doom, he was its bloom. You were its tomb, he was its womb. For Heaven and Hell, were words made of fum.
The Goethe-Institut is an Arts Partner of TAFF.
Part of Goethe-Institut's focus on German Film.
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