Join us for a free screening of Tunisian horror film Agora (2024) on October 21, 7:00 PM at the State Theatre.

This screening is ONLY in person at the State Theatre in Ann Arbor. Reserve your free tickets here!

Welcome to the 7th annual Halaloween: A Muslim Horror Film Festival 2025!

What is Halaloween? Halaloween screens horror films from across the globe that were made by, for, or about Muslims, to understand: “What scares Muslim audiences? Are horror movies halal?”

This year’s 2025 film festival runs throughout October on Tuesdays. Halaloween will showcase one film streaming online from October 1-15; a montage of short films in-person at the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn on Tuesday, October 14 at 7pm; and two in-person screenings at the State Theatre, on Tuesday October 21 and 28 at 7pm.

The festival is free in-person and online–but make sure to reserve tickets! In-person screenings will be first-come, first-served with RSVPs strongly encouraged.

We are inclusive of everyone's film needs: from new horror fans who close their eyes through most scary movies, to those who love the gore–we've got films for everyone! Check the Halaloween Horror Rating in the description of each film for its scariness rating and other details.

The 2025 Halaloween Lineup:

October 1-15: Xoftex | Greece/Palestine/Syria | 2024 | Online Screening

October 14: Short Films | Saudi Arabia, Syria, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia | 7:00pm | Arab American National Museum (Dearborn)  

October 21: Agora | Tunisia | 2024 | 7:00 PM | State Theatre

October 28: Algiers | Algeria | 2024 | 7:00 PM | State Theatre

RSVP & stream our online selection: watch.eventive.org/halaloween

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THIS WEEK’S FEATURE: AGORA (2024)

Join us at the State Theatre Tunisian horror film Agora (2024) on October 21 at 7:00 PM. http://watch.eventive.org/halaloween. 

Agora | 2024 | 102 min | Tunisia

Directed by Ala Eddine Slim

Description: In a remote Tunisian town, missing persons suddenly return, causing growing tensions within families, community, and local police. As a result, police inspector Fathi, with the help of his doctor friend Amine, tries to understand the enigmatic and bizarre circumstances that led to the missing people’s initial disappearances and unexpected return. As the investigation deepens, a police inspector from the capital, Omar, arrives to solve the mystery. Will Omar and his accomplices bring understanding or further complicate matters? 

Ala Eddine Slim is a Tunisian filmmaker. He has directed several short films, art videos, and feature films, selected and multi-awarded in many international film festivals: Clermont-Ferrand, Grand Prix FID Marseille for BABYLON (2012), Lion of the Future, Best Technical Contribution at the Venice Film Festival in 2016, and Tanit d’Or at JCC for THE LAST OF US (2016). TLAMESS (2019), his second fiction film, had its world premiere at Quinzaine des Réalisateurs. His most recent feature film AGORA has been selected for Locarno IFF. 

Halaloween Horror Rating: 2/5 Pumpkins

Rating explanation: Somewhat scary. The undead return, but they don’t do very much themselves. Content Warning: dead animals, guns, blood, suggestions of murder, animal births, references to terrorism.

Religious content: Adhaan, Quran, mosques, prayer, khutbah to drive away curse. 

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Halaloween: A Muslim Horror Film Festival, is brought to you by the Global Islamic Studies Center and cosponsored by the Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies, the Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum, & the Middle Eastern Studies Department. This event is free and open to all. To watch the remaining Halaloween films, visit watch.eventive.org/halaloween. 

For more events from the Global Islamic Studies Center at the University of Michigan, please visit ii.umich.edu/islamicstudies.

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