Al Ard Film Festival is an international film festival aimed at popularising Palestinian and Arab culture and art. The festival takes place in
Cagliari
Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) is an Italian municipality and the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name ''Casteddu'' means ''castle''. It has about 155,000 inhabitant ...
(
Sardinia
Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...
) once a year and has been organised since 2002 by the ''Associazione Amicizia Sardegna Palestina'' (Sardinia-Palestina Friendship Association'')'', a volunteering organisation founded in 1997 in the Mediterranean island.
One of the frequent guests of Al Ard Film Festival in Sardinia is Monica Maurer, who also directed films about the Palestinian revolution in the 1970s.
History
The first edition of Al Ard (meaning "The Land" in Arabic) was held in Cagliari, and, since then, it has grown in popularity and international reach, attracting a diverse and engaged audience. The festival has become a beloved and eagerly anticipated annual event for the local community, and its success has helped to put Cagliari on the map as a destination for film enthusiasts even from outside the island.
Mission
Since its first edition, the mission of the event has been to promote fundamental rights, such as the right of self-determination, with a particular focus on Palestine. Started as a small local event, over the years, Al Ard has become an international film festival, and it is now among the most popular events about the Arab world in Southern Europe.
Editions
The festival has been held annually since 2002 and has grown to become a major cultural event in the region. The 19th edition of Al Ard Film Festival took place in February 2023 at the Teatro Massimo in Cagliari. The festival attracts international guests, some of whom have been part of the Jury multiple times, such as
Monica Maurer,
Ibrahim Nasrallah,
May Odeh, and many other were invited as filmmakers candidates for awards, such as
Mai Masri
Mai Masri ( ar, مي المصري; born April 2, 1959) is a Palestinian filmmaker, director and producer. Her films are primarily documentaries which focus on the real life struggles of the women and children living in the occupied Palestinian te ...
,
Sahera Dirbas,
Mohammed Alatar
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monothe ...
,
Kasim Abid
Kasim Abid is an Iraqi filmmaker, director, producer and cameraman.
Abid trained in Moscow as a cameraman before settling in London.
Along with Maysoon Pachachi he co-founded the non-profit making ‘The Independent Film and TV College’ in ...
,
Elia Ghorbia,
Linda Paganelli, Habib Ayeb, and many more.
References
{{reflist
External links
Official website
Film festivals in Italy