The films in this shorts segment are not made for children and families, necessarily, as many of the films tackle difficult subjects, like war, classism, and violence. Instead, these films speak to one another because they each explore various experiences of childhood and/or depict the complexity of families and family dynamics. Telling the stories of children during stressful and joyful moments and considering various configurations of family relationships, the films in this series expose cruelty and locate delight in the stories they tell.
Join us for a discussion with the filmmakers on Friday, October 1 at 4 pm CST. Reserve your ticket here.
On the day of her release from a psychiatric facility, Mira returns to her mother’s home in Brooklyn for her grandmother’s birthday, only to discover that her sister has told the family that she has been on a trip to Florida. Tallahassee is the portrayal of a young woman’s re-entry into the world, a meditation on the enormous task of life after grief. Framed in the context of diaspora, Tallahassee grants a glimpse into the struggles of mental illness, an issue often silenced and pathologized in Arab culture.
Festivals and Awards
Blackstar Film Festival, Philadelphia, USA, 2021
Woodstock Film Festival, New York, USA, 2021
Boston Palestine Film Festival, USA, 2021
El Gouna Film Festival, Egypt, 2021
About the filmmaker
Darine Hotait is a New-York based American Lebanese writer and film director. Her work focuses on the politics of identity, Arab & African diaspora, and science fiction. She has written and directed a dozen award-winning narrative short films that can be seen on Sundance Channel, The New Yorker, AMC Networks, BBC, Forbes, and Outfest. Her work has received the support of The Sundance Institute, Comedy Central, The Independent Film Project, The Jerome Foundation, New York Council on the Arts, and New York Foundation for the Arts. Darine is the founder of Cinephilia Productions— a film incubator championing African and Arab filmmakers.
- Year2021
- Runtime22 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereMinnesota
- DirectorDarine Hotait
- ScreenwriterHala Alyan
- ProducerRyah Aqel
- CastHala Alyan, Cherien Dabis, Malek Holloway, Samia Halaby, Samar El Zein
- CinematographerKalyn Jacobs
- EditorLiz Charky
- ComposerTarek Yamani
The films in this shorts segment are not made for children and families, necessarily, as many of the films tackle difficult subjects, like war, classism, and violence. Instead, these films speak to one another because they each explore various experiences of childhood and/or depict the complexity of families and family dynamics. Telling the stories of children during stressful and joyful moments and considering various configurations of family relationships, the films in this series expose cruelty and locate delight in the stories they tell.
Join us for a discussion with the filmmakers on Friday, October 1 at 4 pm CST. Reserve your ticket here.
On the day of her release from a psychiatric facility, Mira returns to her mother’s home in Brooklyn for her grandmother’s birthday, only to discover that her sister has told the family that she has been on a trip to Florida. Tallahassee is the portrayal of a young woman’s re-entry into the world, a meditation on the enormous task of life after grief. Framed in the context of diaspora, Tallahassee grants a glimpse into the struggles of mental illness, an issue often silenced and pathologized in Arab culture.
Festivals and Awards
Blackstar Film Festival, Philadelphia, USA, 2021
Woodstock Film Festival, New York, USA, 2021
Boston Palestine Film Festival, USA, 2021
El Gouna Film Festival, Egypt, 2021
About the filmmaker
Darine Hotait is a New-York based American Lebanese writer and film director. Her work focuses on the politics of identity, Arab & African diaspora, and science fiction. She has written and directed a dozen award-winning narrative short films that can be seen on Sundance Channel, The New Yorker, AMC Networks, BBC, Forbes, and Outfest. Her work has received the support of The Sundance Institute, Comedy Central, The Independent Film Project, The Jerome Foundation, New York Council on the Arts, and New York Foundation for the Arts. Darine is the founder of Cinephilia Productions— a film incubator championing African and Arab filmmakers.
- Year2021
- Runtime22 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereMinnesota
- DirectorDarine Hotait
- ScreenwriterHala Alyan
- ProducerRyah Aqel
- CastHala Alyan, Cherien Dabis, Malek Holloway, Samia Halaby, Samar El Zein
- CinematographerKalyn Jacobs
- EditorLiz Charky
- ComposerTarek Yamani