Shadows of Beirut

In 1910 London, independent-minded Katharine Hilbery defies her family's expectations of marriage to pursue a career in astronomy. But when her father pressures her into an unwanted engagement, her resolve is tested. Through new friendships—including a bold suffragette and a thoughtful editor—Katharine begins to question the limits placed on her by society, love, and tradition, ultimately searching for a path that is truly her own.

This stunningly shot experimental documentary has at its heart a poignant character study of a 17 year-old lesbian living in Newcastle, England. Fiction and documentary collide in this gripping film as “scenes” from the main subject’s life are re-enacted for the camera. What emerges is a remarkable encounter with a young woman, and a story that has broader implications about being young, being at the cusp of adulthood, and finding one’s identity; about how documentaries reveal, provoke and conceal.

When you change where you are do you change who you are? I Am Nasrine is an intimate journey of self-discovery and ultimately reveals the unfolding of a soul. Set in modern day Tehran, and the UK, the film follows the paths of Nasrine and Ali, sister and brother in a comfortable, middle class Iranian home. When Nasrine has a run-in with the police, the punishment is more than she bargained for. At her father's bidding, Nasrine and Ali set out for the UK, torn about leaving behind their home and all that they know, embarking on a reluctant exile.

As Egypt's last pharaoh, Cleopatra fights to protect her throne, family and legacy in this docuseries featuring reenactments and expert interviews.

During the cultural revolution, six-year-old Gharavi was sent from Iran to live with her father in the West, remaining separated from her mother into adulthood. This intense personal documentary follows Gharavi’s return to Iran in an attempt to understand her mother’s decision and to reconnect to her lost past. Choosing not to explain the last twenty years of her life, Gharavi drops the viewer directly into the moment of her return, sharing the immediacy of the event. With the use of verite and acted scenes to mirror the reunion’s emotional landscape, Gharavi’s frustration with her mother’s ambiguity becomes clear. As the visit draws to a close, her mother remains elusive about why she sent Gharavi away, while continuing to encourage and pressure her daughter to return to and settle down in Iran. Gharavi, however, has her own reasons for why she does not want to move back to Iran and meet a “good man.”

Arash is a professional wrestler with dreams of representing his country and winning gold medals. The country is in turmoil and its people are suffering. Arash must decide between using his platform to stand up to tyranny, or put his head down and remain silent.

This observational documentary captures a unique and highly contemporary snapshot of the Middle East. Danny runs a bakery in Jerusalem, founded by his father in 1929, and in a part of town that is increasingly becoming a conservative religious stronghold. His shop is popular and people come from all parts of the city to buy their Shabat bread. Khalid is a former political prisoner who learnt to make bread during his years in jail. Now his Hebron bakery is known as the best in town and is a popular treat for families on a Friday evening. As each character relates his experience, the stories unfold and contrast, often ironically, revealing the humanity behind the conflict; telling us new stories about the way we live, what is happening around the globe, as well as in our own neighborhoods.

After an unnatural death comes an unnatural burial. A short psychological thriller from Bridge + Tunnel Productions, directed by Richard Lawson and produced by Tina Gharavi.

Featherhead is a poignant tale of a lifelong love that is tested to the limit. As John¹s wife¹s Alzheimer¹s progresses he is barely able to cope and becomes visibly aggressive. Arathi, an elderly Asian neighbour who sees the situation decaying from across the fence must decide if she should intervene. Cultures collide as the situation becomes even more tragic.