16th Annual Houston Palestine Film Festival
The organizers of the Houston Palestine Film Festival are pleased to announce the dates of their 16th annual festival, featuring the latest films in Palestinian Cinema. The festival will take place over two weekends:
June 2nd & 3rd (at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston) and June 9th & 10th (at Rice University Cinema).
To book and buy tickets at Rice university , please visit the website
Location: Rice University, Sewell Hall, Room 301.
Parking: Discounted parking available in Founder's Court visitor lot. $5 flat rate, credit card required.
A Gaza weekend
90 min, in Arabic and English | Basil Khalil
Friday, June 9, 2023 7 p.m.
https://vada.rice.edu/rice-cinema/rice-cinema-events
To Purchase tickets at Rice University, in person or online by clicking here http://www.hpff.org/2023-tickets
A Gaza Weekend by Basil Khalil was selected as the opening film for the 16th annual festival. This is considered Khalil’s first feature film as he’s previously directed the Oscar nominated short film Ave Maria. This dark comedy highlights the bitter reality of life in Gaza between blockade and war. In the film, Gaza becomes a haven and the safest place in the world after an infectious virus, much like coronavirus, spreads across the globe. Gaza’s isolation has left it free of disease and the envy of many trying to escape the disease by any means. Action and comedy shed light on the blockade. It stars Mouna Hawa, Adam Barki and Stephen Mangan.
Angel of Gaza
short: 23 min, in Arabic and English with subtitles | Ahmad mansour
8-year-old Malak narrates her family arduous journey of romance, endless love, sacrifice and reunification with her father, in the U.S, after 7-year of forced separation. Angel of Gaza is a close-up portrait of a Palestinian child from Gaza and how they see the world around them.
Mediterranean fever
108 min, +15, in Arabic and English subtitles | Maha Haj.
Saturday, June 10, 2023 3 p.m.
https://vada.rice.edu/rice-cinema/rice-cinema-events
To Purchase tickets at Rice University, in person or online by clicking here http://www.hpff.org/2023-tickets
Mediterranean Fever by Maha haj is the official submission of Palestine for the ‘Best International Feature’ category of the 95th Academy Awards. It also won the best screenplay award at the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival. Mediterranean Fever tackles the meaning of country and home through the two characters Waleed and Jalal who live in Haifa. In spite of their differences in perspective, they are able to meet at a place that is familiar to both and helps them understand the Palestinian identity. It stars Amer Hlehel and Ashraf Farah.
Palestine 87
Short: 14 min, in Arabic and English subtitles | Bilal Alkhatib
The story takes place during the 1987 Intifada, about Atef, who’s while being pursued by the IDF, finds himself trapped in some lady’s yard, who decides to hide him in the bathroom with one of the daughters in an attempt to save him from arrest.
Alam
109 min, +15, in Arabic with English subtitles | Firas Khoury
Saturday, June 10, 2023 7 p.m.
https://vada.rice.edu/rice-cinema/rice-cinema-events
To Purchase tickets at Rice University, in person or online by clicking here http://www.hpff.org/2023-tickets
HPFF 2023 will close with Alam, directed by Firas Khoury first feature film. It was first shown at the Toronto Film festival and won three awards at the Cairo International Film Festival: The Golden Pyramid Award, the Audience Award, and Best Actor by Mahmood Bakri. Alam tells the story of young Palestinians who take on a mission that could cost them life in prison. Audiences will connect to this coming of age story that centers around their young age and what it means to be Palestinian. This film stars Mahmood Barki, Sereen Khass, Mohammad Bakri, Ahmed Zaghmori and guest stars Amer Hlehel and Saleh Bakri.
Last may in Palestine
Short: 19min43sec , Arabic and English with subtitles | Rabeea Eid
After the assassination of Shireen Abu-Akleh on May 2022, I return from the UK to Palestine and open my archive of May 2021 upraising in Haifa. On this trip, I relive memories and places I left, but it did not leave me, and I ask questions about being a journalist during dangerous events.
