What began in a single venue as a biennial event celebrating popular Arab cinema has grown into the UK’s largest Arab film festival, bringing over 170 rarely-screened classic and contemporary films to 10 cities in its tenure so far.
This year’s SAFAR programme spans decades, geographies and genres, and speaks urgently to the present while excavating the past. It presents cinema that bears witness, that dares to remember and that subverts expectation. From intimate social critique and stark reflections on war and displacement, to ecological explorations, black comedy, and musicals, these films remind us that Arab cinema is not confined to one narrative but is a multitude of voices, visions, and lived realities.
Together, the selections reflect the diversity, complexity and cinematic depth of the SWANA region. At a time when representation is a vital form of resistance, the programme invites audiences to encounter stories grounded in place but resonant across the world, where filmmakers channel memory, imagination, and defiance into deeply human acts of storytelling.
This year’s Barbican programme features a broad array of ScreenTalks and live events with both emerging and established talent, including a Masterclass with legendary Palestinian actor and director Mohammad Bakri exploring his 50 plus years on screen, and the festival’s first ever cine-concert.
Get your tickets now and view the full programme on www.safarfilmfestival.co.uk.
