December 10th - 11th, 2021 Film Festival

InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema Short Films + Filmmaker Q&A

Expired December 12, 2021 7:59 AM
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A selection of short films from Middle Eastern filmmakers who have made their work all over the world – the UAE, Jordan, Iran – as well as in the US. They tell deeply meaningful stories of reconnection, generational strife, the horrors of war, and the human impact of the pandemic. The block includes the Tribeca award-winning short Layak, by co-directors Scott Aharoni and Dennis Latos.

The film explores an internal conflict surrounding a family of Jewish immigrants from Iran (played by Muslim actors) now living in present-day Los Angeles. I offer a window into the taboo subjects of religious intolerance and intermarriage outside of one's culture. The choice that the heroine makes may seem controversial to some, but I believe it is a heart-wrenching and powerful decision that is becoming a new reality. The film was shot in English and Farsi, a language that I had to learn.

  • Runtime
    25 minutes
  • Country
    United States
  • Director
    Meital Cohen Navarro
  • Screenwriter
    Meital Cohen Navarro
  • Producer
    Meital Cohen Navarro