Twin Cities Arab Film Festival unveils full schedule including parties and 'rage karaoke'

The 18th annual Arab Film Festival has unveiled its complete lineup after teasing select highlights earlier in the month.

The fest will serve as a 25th-anniversary celebration for Mizna, which organizes the festival. This year's program offers a special focus on Palestine and Sudan, using art to highlight the ongoing struggles of people in the region.

“Many communities in the SWANA region, in Palestine, in Sudan, in Lebanon, in Yemen, are facing moments of urgency and catastrophe,” says Mizna’s Executive and Artistic Director Lana Barkawi. “As we come together to celebrate the artistry and innovation of films in this year’s festival, we must also acknowledge this devastating time and create a space for our grief and solidarity. This year’s film festival will serve as an opportunity to build community and engage with critical, stimulating ideas.”

The festival opens on Sept. 25 with a screening of Bye Bye Tiberias , Palestine's entry into the 2023 Academy Awards. The documentary by Lina Soualem dives into the life of her mother, Succession actress Hiam Abbas.

The next day is highlighted by a free outdoor screening of the Sudanese film Tajouje (1977) under the Third Ave. bridge.

Other special events include a full day of films by Palestinian filmmakers at The Main Cinema on Sept. 28. It's a program that includes Three Promises (Yousef Srouji), pal/imp/sest (Zelikha Zohra Shoja), The Poem We Sang (Annie Sakkab), A Fidai Film and UNDR (both by Kamal Aljafari), No Other Land (Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor), To a Land Unknown (Mahdi Fleifel), and The Teacher (Farah Nabulsi).

The festival closes on Sept. 29 with a day of events at the Walker Art Center , including a shorts program and post-screening discussion at 3:30 p.m. In the evening, the closing night reception precedes a screening of Goodbye Julia , a Sudanese drama directed by Mohamed Kordofani, which made its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. The director will take part in a Q&A session after the film.

In addition to films, the festival will host a BIPOC filmmaking workshop hosted by filmmaker Fatima Wardy, discussions with filmmakers, "Rage Karaoke," and other discussions and parties.

All-access passes are available at a $10 discount through Sept. 13. Individual screenings are $12 or $10 for MSP Film Society members.

Related: Parkway Theater will screen John Candy movies throughout September