Don’t miss the Q&A…

After you register for this screening, be sure to register for the follow-up event, Global Media Makers Q&A: The Female Gaze Shorts Showcase, featuring a conversation with the five directors whose work is featured: Ayten Amin, Darin J. Sallam, Mira Shaib, Rim Medji and Shazia Iqbal. (Wednesday, October 7 – 10:00 am PT)

Film Independent Members and guests are invited to a special showcase celebrating the voices of our Global Media Makers Fellows, with a spotlight on seven stories by seven filmmakers from Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.

A partnership between Film Independent and the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Global Media Makers is a cultural exchange program that fosters relationships and collaboration between American and international film professionals. Global Media Makers has served more than 1,000 filmmakers from 14 different countries from the Arab world, Turkey, and South Asia.

At the core of Global Media Makers (GMM) is the pursuit of building a bridge between filmmakers from diverse regions of the world, and sharing the human experience through film and television. The films included in this showcase are by filmmakers who attended a six-week residency in Los Angeles where they forged connections with American film professionals. Now, we are excited to share their powerful stories with you as we look to one another – here in the US and around the world – for support and solidarity during these difficult times.

 
Our Global Media Makers shorts showcase features five films, all directed by women, that share a common theme: “The Female Gaze”.

Spring 89, directed by Ayten Amin (Egypt)
Two women, coming of age in Cairo, lust after the same man, causing a rift in their friendship.

The Parrot, directed by Darin J. Sallam (Jordan)
In 1948 Palestine, an Arab family moves into an abandoned home in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. Left behind is a parrot, which causes problems for the family.

Lilacs, directed by Mira Shaib (Lebanon)
After spending several years in Germany, a young woman returns to Lebanon to be at the bedside of her dying mother. However, she is consumed by the continued search for her kidnapped brother.

Out of Town directed by Rim Mejdi (Morocco)
Dropped off in a small town in Morocco to visit her boyfriend, a woman fights both internal and external demons as she questions her future.

Bebaak directed by Shazia Iqbal (India)
A young Muslim woman, already rebellious in nature, fights for her own equality and clashes with cultural norms when her father makes her apply to a new school.
 
104 minutes, color

Registration Information

All Film Independent Members can register for this online screening starting at 11:00 am on Wednesday, September 23. | Registration is free; one registration per Membership. | Proof of Member status is required to complete registration.

Arts Circle and Film Lover Members are guaranteed access to this event; email membership@filmindependent.org for more information.

How to Watch

On the first day of screening availability, registered Members (and guests, when applicable) will be emailed a secure link by our partner Vision Media to watch this title in the Film Independent Presents Online Screening Room.

Online Screening Policies

Availability window and registration capacity may vary; always register as early as possible to ensure access. Links are watermarked, nontransferable and may only be used by the Member who completed the registration. Limit one link per Membership, per event.

Members are required to follow all rules and guidelines as laid out by Film Independent and/or its partners. If a guest has been registered for an event by a Member, these policies shall apply to that guest. Violation of policies may result in suspension or termination of Membership.

Event details and guest participation are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice.