Arab Film Series

Prayer of the Wanderer

Expired July 31, 2023 3:59 AM
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8 films in package
Abroad
Jad and Rania, a Lebanese couple living in New York City, struggle to achieve their shared dream of breaking into the entertainment industry due, in part, to the typecasting of Arab actors.
Closed captions available
Baladi (My Country)
Gamal, a young and lonely Egyptian Muslim immigrant, has to find a place to live when his friend kicks him out. Fritzie, a grieving Ashkenazi Jewish widow, is struggling to pay the bills on her house. When the pair meet at the park, an unlikely friendship develops that will change their lives forever.
Between Land and Sky
Between Land and Sky is an experimental semi-biographical animation that moves between several visual mediums including live video and stop-motion animation to tell a story of dreams lost and estrangement, while invoking ritual music and body dance gestures of the narrator’s homeland in the south of Egypt.
I Say Dust
Two Arab-American women in New York City fall in love, argue home and identity, engage in a chess battle, and express themselves through the power of the spoken word.
Kingdom of Strangers
On the Pacific coast of Los Angeles, Ali and Yaffa struggle to remember the Arab Mediterranean cities they have left behind.
The Sailor
An Egyptian living and working in Pittsburgh reflects on his new surroundings through a series of images and observations.
Mariam
Zaid, a young Arab-American amateur drag queen, has to confront his conservative father and ailing grandfather about his identity.
Prayer of the Wanderer Q&A
Filmmakers Jenna Bosco and Shayma Aziz in Conversation with Haytham Saqr

PRAYER OF THE WANDERER is a short film program that explores the complex and multifaceted experiences of Arab American immigrants in their pursuit of identity within the context of living in the United States. By delving into their narratives, this event seeks to shed light on the richness and diversity of Arab American cultural heritage while confronting the challenges faced by individuals in navigating their dual identities. Through a carefully curated selection of films, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the Arab American community's varied contributions to society while inviting audiences to contemplate the universal themes of belonging, adaptation, and self-discovery.

 

Featuring works by Ahmed Ragheb & Lily Ekimian, Darine Hotait, Jenna Bosco, Randa Ali, Reem Jubran, Shayma Aziz, and Zayn Alexandre.

Ali, a young Egyptian living in self-exile in Los Angeles is visited by a memory of an old friend. Together they try to make sense of a past haunted by trauma and a present that makes no sense.



Randa Ali is a writer and director working between Los Angeles and Cairo. Her films explore themes of alienation, defeat and the desire to connect in a continuously changing world. She is interested in telling stories of individuals through their relationship with their cities. 

  • Year
    2022
  • Runtime
    15 minutes
  • Language
    Arabic
  • Country
    Egypt
  • Subtitle Language
    English
  • Note
    https://www.randamali.com/kingdomofstrangersfilm
  • Social Media
  • Director
    Randa Ali
  • Screenwriter
    Randa Ali
  • Producer
    Randa Ali, Changhui Shi
  • Cast
    Hazem Madbouly, Reem Jubran
  • Cinematographer
    Jackie Fang
  • Editor
    Randa Ali
  • Sound Design
    Sara Kaddouri
  • Music
    Abby Abdel-Khalek
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