In honor of Pride Month, the Arab Film Series presents: Who We Are a collection of award-winning short films that highlight the experiences of Queer Arabs around the globe. Each film tells the story of a character whose desire to live authentically comes in conflict with the people and society around them. But this isn't a program dedicated simply to the struggles of the queer Arab community, but rather to the freedom and joy that can come from taking the risk and being honest with both oneself and those who love us.
After being estranged from his family for his homosexuality, we observe a young Arab man over four seasons and from far away as he navigates his solitude - all the while attempting to reconnect with his mother.
About the filmmaker:
Aziz Zoromba is a Canadian-Egyptian director and producer. His work, documentary and fiction, mainly explore themes of cultural identity, family life, coming of age and the repercussions of being a second generation Canadian. His short films Leila (2017), Amal (2018) & Faraway (2020) have screened internationally at dozens of festivals. He is a recipient of the 2019 Sundance Ignite Fellowship from the Sundance Institute. Aziz also produced the short documentary No Crying at the Dinner Table (2019), selected at over 75 Festivals around the world and winner of over 15 awards, including the Grand Prize for Best Short Documentary at the SXSW Film Festival, qualifying the film for an Academy Award.
- Year2020
- Runtime18 minutes
- LanguageFrench, English, Arabic
- CountryCanada
- DirectorAziz Zoromba
- ProducerAziz Zoromba, Carol Nguyen
- CastOmar Al Shakra
- CinematographerMax Machado
- EditorAshley Gilmour, Aziz Zoromba
- Sound DesignSacha Ratcliffe
In honor of Pride Month, the Arab Film Series presents: Who We Are a collection of award-winning short films that highlight the experiences of Queer Arabs around the globe. Each film tells the story of a character whose desire to live authentically comes in conflict with the people and society around them. But this isn't a program dedicated simply to the struggles of the queer Arab community, but rather to the freedom and joy that can come from taking the risk and being honest with both oneself and those who love us.
After being estranged from his family for his homosexuality, we observe a young Arab man over four seasons and from far away as he navigates his solitude - all the while attempting to reconnect with his mother.
About the filmmaker:
Aziz Zoromba is a Canadian-Egyptian director and producer. His work, documentary and fiction, mainly explore themes of cultural identity, family life, coming of age and the repercussions of being a second generation Canadian. His short films Leila (2017), Amal (2018) & Faraway (2020) have screened internationally at dozens of festivals. He is a recipient of the 2019 Sundance Ignite Fellowship from the Sundance Institute. Aziz also produced the short documentary No Crying at the Dinner Table (2019), selected at over 75 Festivals around the world and winner of over 15 awards, including the Grand Prize for Best Short Documentary at the SXSW Film Festival, qualifying the film for an Academy Award.
- Year2020
- Runtime18 minutes
- LanguageFrench, English, Arabic
- CountryCanada
- DirectorAziz Zoromba
- ProducerAziz Zoromba, Carol Nguyen
- CastOmar Al Shakra
- CinematographerMax Machado
- EditorAshley Gilmour, Aziz Zoromba
- Sound DesignSacha Ratcliffe