The Arab Film Club Podcast

Series 2. Episode 2: Soudade Kaadan on Nezouh.

In this episode, we speak with multi award winning filmmaker Soudade Kaadan about her feature film Nezouh. We discuss the significance of Syrian stories on screen, producing independent cinema and the inventive use of comedy and magic realism as a way to tackle difficult themes and topics.

Soudade reflects on making the film, the casting of Kinda Alloush and Samer Al-Masry, the importance of authenticity and why she wants to invite Syrians back to the cinema.

The film first premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022 and is available to rent on the BFI Player, Youtube, Apple TV and more.

Hosted by Sarah Agha 
Produced by Hemeroscope Studios 
Audio recorded by The Garden Cinema
Music by Mina Samy 
Poster photo courtesy of RBKC by Jaron James

Music featured in episode:

Lili s'en fout by Toufic Farroukh
Huna Al-Sham by Shadi Ali

Series 2. Episode 1: Cherien Dabis on All That’s Left Of You.

In this episode, we speak with filmmaker and actor Cherien Dabis about her powerful film All That’s Left of You. We discuss the origins of this sweeping Palestinian family story, the deeply personal choices behind its casting including working with the Bakri family and what it was like for Cherien to direct herself in such an intimate role. 

 

Cherien reflects on making the film amid war, curfews, and escalating violence and the resilience required to keep going under impossible conditions. 

 

Cherien Dabis is a Palestinian-American Emmy Award nominated TV and Oscar shortlisted film director and an actress whose work includes starring in Mo Amer’s hit Netflix show Mo.

 

Her latest feature film All That’s Left of You will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on February 6th 2026 and is distributed by T A P E Collective. 

 

Find a screening near you:
https://www.tapecollective.co.uk/feature-films/all-thats-left-of-you

 

Hosted by Sarah Agha 

Produced by Hemeroscope Studios 

Music by Mina Samy 

Cover image by Stephanie Diani

The Arab Film Club podcast is back for a second series, where host Sarah Agha will dive deep into Arab cinema: the stories, the craft, and the voices shaping its future.

New episodes will drop every two months on the first Wednesday, starting from February 4th, 2026. 

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Podbean. Subscribe today.

Presented by Sarah Agha

Poster and production by Hemeroscope

Music by Mina Samy

Photo by Victoria Chikalo

On June 30th 2024, The Arab Film Club returned to the Southbank Centre for a special event for Refugee Week around the theme, 'Home'.

The screening was followed by a Q&A hosted by curator Sarah Agha with the filmmakers in person. This bonus episode is a recording of the Q&A which took place on stage.

 

The programme...

Al Sit by Suzannah Mirghani (Sudan, 20 minutes)
"In a cotton-farming village in Sudan, 15 year old Nafisa has a crush on Babiker but her parents have arranged her marriage to Nadir. Al-Sit, the powerful village matriarch, has her own plans for Nafisa's future. Can Nafisa choose for herself?"

Beneath a Mother's Feet by Elias Suhail (Morocco, 15 minutes)
"A single mother in Morocco, trapped in a mundane existence, confronts her dreams and fears, leading to the agonising decision to forsake all she knows, even her children."

An Orange from Jaffa by Mohammed Almughanni (Palestine, 26 minutes) "Mohammed is desperately looking for a taxi to take him through an Israeli checkpoint. But when the driver discovers that Mohammed has already failed to cross the checkpoint, trouble begins."

 

Presented by Sarah Agha.
Audio recorded by Southbank Centre.
Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.
Music composed by Mina Samy.
Episode mixing and mastering: Aodhagán O’Flaherty.

Special thanks to Counterpoint Arts for partnering on this event.

Episode 5: Farah Nabulsi on 'The Teacher'

Farah Nabulsi is a multi award winning Palestinian British filmmaker and human rights advocate. Her short 'The Present' won a BAFTA Award for Best British Short Film and an Academy Award Nomination for Best Live Action Short at the Oscars (2021). It is available to watch now on Netflix.

Farah’s most recent work 'The Teacher' had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2023 and marks her feature length directorial debut. 

Logline: “A Palestinian school teacher finds himself caught between his risky commitment to political resistance and his emotional support for one of his most promising students.”

 

Series One : Palestinian Cinema.
Produced and presented by Sarah Agha.
Poster designs by Romin Miremadi.
Music composed by Mina Samy.

Episode mixing and mastering: Aodhagán O’Flaherty.