TPFF Films

TORONTO—Friday, September 30, 2011 marks the opening night of the fourth annual Toronto Palestine Film Festival. Films, panels, art and cuisine are planned for the festival’s opening weekend.

Friday, September 30, 7:00 pm—Opening night film Pomegranates and Myrrh makes its Toronto debut at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The film’s lead actor, Ashraf Farah, will be in attendance to do a Q&A after the screening. The winner of several awards including the Youssef Chahine grand prix de cinema at Festival International de Cinéma d’Auteur de Rabat and the Audience Award Best Arab Film Doha Tribeca Film Festival, Najwa Najjar’s first feature is set in present day Ramallah. Wedded bliss ends abruptly for dancer Kamar when her husband Zaid is taken prisoner for resisting the confiscation of his family’s land. Kamar returns to dance, but becomes torn between her passion and society’s expectations of a prisoner’s wife.

Saturday, October 1 (until Oct. 6)—TPFF’s Art Show launches at the AGO. Curated by Nadine Khoury, an OCAD University Student, the TPFF Art Show aims to highlight visual artists that mark their emotions and feelings towards Palestine through artwork. A well-rounded array of powerful paintings, prints, photography and more will be shown.

Saturday, October 1, 2:00 pm—The newly created Arab World Perspectives Program debuts with the Toronto premiere of Lebanese film Stray Bullet at the Jackman Hall Theatre, AGO. Nadine Labaki (Director of Where do we go now? TIFF Audience Choice Award winner) stars in this socio-politically charged drama that unveils a family in turmoil in the midst of wartime tensions in 1976 Lebanon. This beautiful film, shot in a 1970’s grainy aesthetic, won the Best Film Muhr Arab Award at the Dubai International Film Festival (2010). Following the screening, Stray Bullet director Georges Hachem and actor Ashraf Farah (Pomegranates & Myrrh) will participate in a panel exploring opportunities and challenges for filmmakers and artists working in the Middle East.

Sunday, October 2, 11:00 am—Sahtain! Traditional Palestinian Brunch will take place at Beit Zatoun. Prepared by the highly reviewed chef and owner of 93 Harbord,Isam Kaisi, this savoury traditional Palestinian cuisine is served with a special live performance by award-winning composer, pianist and electronic musician John Kameel Farah. This year’s TPFF brunch promises to satisfy all the senses.

Sunday, October 2, 3:00 pm—TPFF Panel: Arab Women and Media Representation. TPFF and NOW Magazine are proud to present a panel discussion with writer, director and producer Ruba Nadda (Cairo Time) and Professor and Arab feminist activist Nahla Abdo. Moderated by NOW Magazine’s Entertainment Editor Susan Cole, the discussion will centre on the degrees of representation of Arab women in mainstream and alternative media and entertainment. By asking these critical questions of how Arab women are presented and represented in film and media the audience will have an opportunity to engage with our panellists and leave with a new way of looking at representation in media.