Thursday 13

Asfouri
Taking place between 1975 and 1997 in Beirut, this fiction feature uses the device of Abu Afif’s building to look at the stories of the various guerilla groups, militias, displaced civilians and invaders who used the building’s walls or sought sanctuary during Lebanon’s civil war, framing the narrative around a love story.
(15+) English subtitles. Runtime: 98 minutes. MoE 12, 22.00.

Back To 1942
Already being tipped to break box-office records in its home country, Aftershock director Feng Xiaogang’s latest epic also has a firm eye on the international market. Situated in the midst of the 1942 Henan drought and subsequent humanitarian crisis, which saw three million Chinese die, our protagonist is stoical Fan (Zhang Guoli) who, with his 16-year-old daughter, joins the millions of refugees while the threat of a Japanese invasion looms.
(18+) English subtitles. Runtime: 145 minutes. Madinat Arena, 20.00. World Premiere. Gala screening

Berlin Telegram
A musical road movie. When her lover leaves her, French musician Leila Albayaty resolves to depart Brussels and begins a nomadic existence wandering from town to town with just her voice for company.
(12+) English subtitles. Runtime: 80 minutes. MoE 7, 12.15.

Char… The No-Mans Island
A documentary about Rubel, an Indian child who would rather go to school than spend his time smuggling goods back and forth into Bangladesh, and camping in Char, an island in the river that separates the two countries.
(15+) English subtitles. Runtime: 97 minutes. MoE 11, 12.30.

Comrade President
An insightful documentary about Mozambican president Samora Moises Machel, who was killed in a controversial plane crash in then-apartheid South Africa.
(15+) English subtitles. Runtime: 89 minutes. MoE 6, 12.30.

Dance Of Outlaws
Documentary about Hind, who suffered an assault as a child that caused her to give up any ambition. She now works as a ‘dancer’, and seeks motherhood.
(15+) English subtitles. Runtime: 85 minutes. MoE 5, 21.45.

Death Metal Angola
Angola is, apparently, the epicentre of rock in Africa. With the country now in a period of peace, this documentary charts two rock’n’roll lovers in a band who run an orphanage, and dream of staging the country’s first large-scale rock gig.
(12+) English subtitles. Runtime: 90 minutes. MoE 7, 18.15. World Premiere

Detroit Unleaded
Arriving in Dubai straight from its world premiere in Toronto, where it won the prized Discovery Award, Detroit Unleaded is described as the world’s ‘first Arab-American romantic dramedy’. Lebanese-American boy Sami takes over his family’s filling station, while Naj seeks escape from the jewellery trade.
(15+) English subtitles. Runtime: 92 minutes. MoE 9, 12.15.

Family Albums
This joint production from Palestine, France and UAE unites four documentary filmmakers, who each draw up their own sensitive portrait of the Arab world, questioning identity and transmission.
(PG) English subtitles. Runtime: 80 minutes. MOE1, 19.00.

Gattu
This kids’ film has emerged as a festival favourite for its simple tale of a defiant illiterate boy who seeks to fly the highest kite in his small village in central India.
(G) English subtitles. Runtime: 80 minutes. MOE10, 16.30.

View Friday's listings
View Saturday's listings
View Sunday's listings