The Arab Film Festival Rotterdam is taking place between 15 and 19 June, showcasing feature-length films and shorts from the Arab region.

Egypt is represented by three feature films: Barra El-Manhag (Outside the Curriculum), Captains of Zaatari, and Wahed Tani (Another Person).

Barra El-Manhag is directed and written by Amr Salama, who also co-wrote the script alongside Khaled Diab. It stars Maged El-Kedwany, Ruby, the child-actor Omar Sharif, Asma Abulyazeid, Ahmed Khaled Saleh, and Donia Maher.

Barra El-Manhag is a light-hearted drama about Nour, a 13-year-old orphan boy who braves a haunted house next to his school to gain the respect of all the other schoolboys, who are afraid. Once inside, he finds an old man living there, hiding from the world. A friendship develops between the boy and the old man, leading to a journey of self-discovery for both of them.

Captains of Zaatari, directed by Ali El-Arabi, follows Mahmoud and Fawzi, two best friends trapped in Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan. They dream of becoming professional football players. When a world-renowned sports academy scout visits the camp, both have a chance to make their dreams come true.

 Wahed Tani (Another Person) is directed by Mohamedd Shaker Khodeir and stars Ahmed Helmy, Ruby, Sayed Ragab, Amr Abdel Gelil, Nesreen Amin, Nour Ehab and Ahmed Malek.

The film tells the story of a social worker at a prison who writes reports about the inmates’ mental state. His life takes a turn when he meets an old friend who has become a successful businessman.

The festival is also screening a Jordanian-Egyptian production, Daughters of Abdul-Rahman, written and directed by Zaid Abu Hamdan and starring Farah Bsieso, Saba Mubarak and Hanan Hillo.

The Arab Film Festival Rotterdam also offers a large selection of short films, including a few entries from Egypt.

The festival developed from the port city of Rotterdam into an international festival that takes place annually in Rotterdam.

Arab Film Festival Rotterdam is an artistic platform dedicated to creating a safe space for open conversations about art, human rights, emancipation and political freedom.

Every year the festival selects high-quality and substantively relevant films for its audience, in close collaboration with partners in the MENA region.