We are young digital natives reaching out across seemingly impenetrable national, social, political, ethnic, and sectarian barriers, employing the freedom created by media platforms to demand and create our own civil discourse.

Film

VideoBeyond King of the Mountain

February 15th, 2010Leyla Haidarian (USA)

Beyond our culture of contest lies a different kind of democracy: gentle, just and… inevitable.
“Beyond King of the Mountain” is a documentary short about democratic governance outside of the “Western Liberal” model. Particularly poignant for those who are thinking of what democracy would mean in the Middle East, it features interviews with: Iraj Abedian, Nick [...]

VideoThe Taqwacores at Sundance, aka the Love that is Taqwacore

February 3rd, 2010Daniela (Guest/USA)

Some things must be written down, before they are forgotten, so that they are not forgotten, because they cannot be forgotten. Last week, many fans across the United States made a journey that they called their hajj to the Sundance film festival, to see the premiere of Eyad Zahra’s movie, The Taqwacores, and to see [...]

International Day of Action in Rawabet

January 11th, 2010Daria Mahgoub (Egypt)

An article about the Climate Action Day that took place on the 24th of October all over the world. Egyptian activists did their part with this brilliant night of short films, Sci-fi Documentary screenings, stand up comedy acts, and a discussion led by three of the most recognized professionals in Environmental issues in Egypt.

First Annual Kurdish Youth Festival in Atlanta, Georgia

December 6th, 2009Nuha

Kurdish Festival is a celebration of Kurdish Heritage in the United States. The festival will stretch a span of three days. During which, Kurds and non-Kurds, from a variety of backgrounds and across the U.S. will gather in Atlanta, Georgia. The festival will take place during the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on [...]

Where have all the good movies gone?

November 19th, 2009Reem Shawkat (Sudan)

Most of the time, I leave the cinema hall feeling disappointed, offended and ripped-off. Here I am, after wasting nearly two hours of my precious life, feeling slightly older and bitter that my intellect wasn’t stimulated in any way.
The question we need to ask here is not why such pathetic attempts at film-making are still being made, it’s simply: why is the public still interested in such films?

VideoThe Bitfilm Festival for Digital Film and New Media is open for submissions! And we’re a partner

April 15th, 2009Esra'a (Bahrain)

It’s really an honor for us to take part in this year’s Bitfilm Festival, which will take part in Hamburg and Tel Aviv to recognize and reward the best digital films in various categories. In the past two years we have created some pretty successful digital videos which forced us to quickly realize and take [...]

Rebelling for a Reason

March 25th, 2009Todd (Guest)

Yesterday I, with the incredible support of Esra’a and Mideast Youth (MEY), helped launch FindingBibi.com, a place for you to submit and vote on a women’s empowerment project that, in turn, will be transformed from a great idea to a high-impact reality.  Who cares, right?  There are hundreds of organizations around the world working on [...]

AudioPodcast: Finding Bibi – Interview with Iranian American film maker, Bita Haidarian

February 5th, 2009Esra'a (Bahrain)

I had the pleasure of interviewing Bita Haidarian, an Iranian American film maker concerning her wonderful latest film, Finding Bibi, described below:
Bita Haidarian, an award-winning Iranian American filmmaker fresh out of film school, sets off on a journey around the world to answer the big questions – who am I, where do I come [...]

VideoMarriages of Convenience

January 27th, 2009Kawthar (Sudan)

That homosexuality is an illegal and (harshly!) punishable act in almost all Muslim-majority countries is an established fact, and a change in legislation anytime in the foreseeable future is as possible as a cow jumping over the moon. But even in countries where homosexuals don’t face the risk of prosecution, the lifestyle in itself is [...]

New DVD film offers realistic portrayal of Arabs in America

January 24th, 2009Ray Hanania (Palestine/USA)

All Mustafa an Egyptian American Muslim widower ever wanted to do was live the “American Dream.”
And, maybe pay off some family debts, turn his small New Jersey falafel shop into a fancy restaurant, raise his two motherless children as good Muslims and Americans, insure his sister married in [...]