Alice has precious few (but building) films from the Middle East and even fewer from the vast continent of Africa. Middle Eastern films are often highly politicised, bringing subjects to the attention of audiences that would otherwise know little about them. Film makers are often dealing with various forms of political and social oppression and even armed conflicts to bring their stories to light. Exotic scenery, allegorical storytelling and close-up exposure to cultural norms, so different from our own, bring a kind of immersion only rivalled by being there. To find a title from a specific country use the By Country link on the left. Pictured: A Time for Drunken Horses
Mahmut is a 40-year-old independent photographer living in Istanbul, and in a deep existential depression following his wife's departure. He's used t... Read more
Based on the premise that nobody would notice a 14-year-old girl brandishing a handheld camera, Hana Makhmalbaf, daughter of renowned Iranian filmmake... Read more
Masterfully directed by Jafar Panahi ('The Circle'), scripted by Abbas Kiarostami ('Ten') and based on a true story, "Crimson Gold" is a moving portra... Read more
Samira Makhmalbaf's "At Five in the Afternoon" was the first film to be made in Afghanistan following the fall of the Taliban regime. Set in the ruine... Read more
Set during Ramadan in 1981, "A Thousand Months" tells the story of Medhi, a seven-year-old boy (Fouad Labied) who lives in the Atlas Mountains. His jo... Read more
The first feature film from post-Taliban Afghanistan, this award-winning drama is set during the radical Islamic regime's rule. With women forbidden t... Read more
This unusual gay-themed war drama from Israel tracks a squad of soldiers stationed along the Lebanese border and the romantic relationship that develo... Read more
A cannily droll mix of social commentary and modern fable, Israeli filmmaker Ra'anan Alexandrowicz's debut feature follows the adventures of James, a... Read more
Orly Zilbershatz-Banai stars as Dafna, a mother struggling to keep her family afloat after the sudden death of their beloved father. Forced into a rol... Read more
A.k.a. "Red Satin". A Tunisian widow takes an unlikely journey of self-discovery in Raja Amarji's sumptuous and sensual "Satin Rouge". While investiga... Read more