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Sand Storm

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  Sand Storm ( عاصفة رملية) Sand Storm (3aSifa Ramaliya) by Elite Zexer presents Bedouin women navigating the tension between tradition and autonomy in a patriarchal society. The film is about Jalila, a wife struggling with her husband's second marriage, and her daughter Layla, who seeks love outside traditional boundaries. In Sand Storm, Jalila and Layla struggle with adhering to deeply ingrained traditions or seeking individual freedom. Jalila is torn between her duty to maintain the family's honor and her resentment over her husband's second marriage. And Layla has a forbidden love story with a classmate that represents a generational shift. This theme is quite common in many Middle Eastern and North African societies, where women often grapple with the pressure to conform to family expectations while striving for personal independence. The tension between tradition and autonomy is a critical issue in Arab and Bedouin life today. In many patriarchal societies, cultural n...
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Layla M.

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  Layla M. Layla M. is a movie directed by Mijke de Jong, that tells the story of Layla, a young Muslim woman from a Moroccan family who was born in Amsterdam. The film follows her journey as she navigates the complexity of faith, family, and identity, eventually leading her toward radicalization. The film takes a close look at the journey from alienation to radicalization. Layla feels prejudiced by both the Dutch society, which sees her hijab as a symbol of oppression, and by her family, who does not share the same passion for Islam as her and are concerned about her increased religious devotion. This sense of isolation pulls Layla toward radical ideologies, which offer her a sense of purpose and community. In this story we are shown the societal issues that are increasing in Europe, where a rise in Islamophobia and social exclusion is pushing many young Muslims to feel disconnected from the countries they call home. According to a 2020 report by the EU, young Muslims in Europe of...
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Basma

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  Basma Basma, directed by filmmaker Samira Habib, is about Basma, a young Saudi woman navigating societal pressures while grappling with the desire for self-expression in a conservative environment and finding herself in an internal battle between her identity and her freedom. In Basma, the protagonist faces a clash between her personal desires and the expectations imposed by her family and society. This "issue" is one that many young Arabs who are often torn between tradition and modernity suddenly find themselves in. These identity crises often happen much more after experiencing life abroad as Basma did when she went to study in California. This issue is highly relevant today, especially in parts of the Arab world where cultural and social changes are happening at a rapid pace. Due to the globalization we are experiencing and the strong influence some cultures have on others it is really difficult to maintain traditional values today. Basma in the film returns from living...
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Excuse My French

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  Excuse My French The film Excuse My French directed by Amr Salama is about Hany, an Egyptian boy raised in a Christian household. When his father dies, Hany's life changes completely and the most drastic change is the change of school from a private school to a public school. This new school is a completely different and new experience from what he knew. Hany faces new challenges and obstacles that he has never had before such as bullying and religious and personal identity issues. The main issue discussed in this film is religious identity since the problem that affects Hany the most is being a minority. Hany came from a private school that is very different from a public school. Due to economic problems, Hany's mother is forced to put her son in a public school where the majority of students are Muslims. He identified that as a problem and decided to hide it because he believed that if he said he was a Christian, they would reject him and harass him. Indeed, when they found...
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