African & Middle Eastern
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
Incendies (2011)
8.2/10
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Remy Girard, Melissa Desormeaux-Poulan, Lubna Azabal, Maxim Gaudette
In the highly-acclaimed suspense thriller 'Incendies', a mothers dying wish creates a painful puzzle her children are forced to solve. At the reading... Read more
A Screaming Man (2010)
6.8/10
Director: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Starring: Youssouf Djaoro, Diouc Koma
A highly-regarded drama set in modern-day Chad, "A Screaming Man" sees Youssouf Djaoro play Adam, a one-time swimming champion now in his mid-fifties... Read more
Viva Riva! (2010)
6.2/10
Director: Djo Munga
Starring: Patsha Bay, Manie Malone
Returning to his hometown of Kinshasa with a truckload of gasoline, hijacked from neighbouring Angola, that he's looking to unload for the right price... Read more
Life, Above All (2010)
7.1/10
Director: Oliver Schmitz
Starring: Lerato Mvelase, Harriet Manamela, Khomotso Manyaka
Based on Allan Stratton's novel "Chanda's Secrets", this moving drama set in South Africa tells the story of young Chanda (Khomotso Manyaka), a child... Read more
The Human Resources Manager (2010)
6.6/10
Director: Eran Riklis
The Human Resources Manager of Jerusalem's largest bakery is in trouble. He is separated from his wife, distanced from his daughter, and stuck in a jo... Read more
The Hunter (2010)
6.3/10
Director: Rafi Pitts
Starring: Mitra Hajjar, Rafi Pitts
"Shekarchi" Ali (Rafi Pitts) is a reformed criminal who lives in a small flat in Tehran with his wife Sara and their young daughter Saba. While he's g... Read more
The Assassin Next Door (2009)
Starring: Olga Kurylenko, Liron Levo
A woman forced to work for the Russian Mafia as an assassin agrees to help her next-door neighbor kill her abusive husband. Read more
About Elly (2009)
8.1/10
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Golshifteh Farahani, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Merila Z...
From Asghar Farhadi, director of the acclaimed "A Separation", comes a gripping tale of secrets and lies amongst a tight-knit group of friends holiday... Read more
Prisoners of War: Series 1 (2009)
8.5/10
Starring: Ishai Golan, Mili Avital, Yael Abecassis, Assi Cohen, Adi Ezroni, Yoram Toledano
The Israeli drama which inspired the U.S. series "Homeland". "Prisoners of War" (or "Hatufim" - 'abductees' in Hebrew), tells the story of three Israe... Read more
Lebanon (2009)
6.9/10
Director: Samuel Maoz
Starring: Oshri Cohen, Yoav Donat, Michael Moshonov, Italy Tiran
This harrowing drama from Israel looks at the 1982 Lebanon War through the eyes of four young Israeli soldiers, trapped inside a tank bound for the Le... Read more