Family Connections Take Center Stage at NFMLA’s InFocus: Middle Eastern & Arab Cinema Program

      A blend of unexpected narratives surrounding family and the triumph over challenges characterized the InFocus: Middle Eastern & Arab Cinema program presented by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles.

      NFMLA’s InFocus initiative honors diversity, inclusion, and regional representation by highlighting various filmmaking communities as part of its monthly offerings. The December event featured a range of unique, international films crafted by emerging Middle Eastern and Arab directors, including the December Shorts block, InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema, and InFocus: Arab Cinema.

      The December Shorts block showcased a mix of drama, animation, romance, hard lessons, music videos, motivation, and probing curiosity.

      InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema comprised a collection of short films from filmmakers across the Middle East and its diaspora, telling intricate stories that delve into familial connections, memories, love, fear, grief, joy, and legacies passed through generations.

      InFocus: Arab Cinema showcased a selection of short films from Arab storytellers around the globe, featuring works from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain, and the United Kingdom, and presenting themes of absurdity, humor, self-discovery, challenging situations, and poignant experiences.

      NFMLA presents films created by directors from various backgrounds throughout the year, in both its regular and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcomed and encouraged to submit their works for consideration in future NFMLA Festivals, irrespective of the InFocus program's schedule. This initiative is partially supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

      Here is additional information about the filmmakers and their respective films.

      “The Middle,” directed by Sylvia Ray

      About Sylvia: Sylvia Ray is an award-winning Chicana/Korean-American director based in Los Angeles. She is a Latino Film Institute Inclusion Fellow and has written and directed her latest short film, “The Vote,” in 2024. Her feature script “The Middle” was a quarterfinalist, and its proof of concept earned a nomination for Best LatinX Film at the 2024 Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. Her short “Preggers” won Best Comedy Short at the Arizona International Film Festival. Sylvia has directed acclaimed indie pilot episodes like “Our Late Father,” “In Limbo,” and “My Human Experience,” and her short film “LEN(N)Y” was streamed worldwide on Pantaya and DISH! Latino through the Hola Mexico’s Tomorrow Filmmakers Today fellowship. Her work embraces a fun, feminine energy while often addressing topics such as empowerment, morality, and grief. Influenced by her desert-town upbringing, global travels, and experiences in fashion, Sylvia aims to enhance BIPOC representation both in front of and behind the camera.

      About “The Middle”: A teenage girl from the desert grapples with the repercussions of a significant night and must choose between honesty and protecting her family.

      Watch the NFMLA interview with Sylvia Ray, director of “The Middle”:

      “Superman Doesn’t Steal,” directed by Tamika Lamison

      About Tamika: A Virginia native, Tamika studied at American and Howard Universities. Her accolades include the ABC Disney Writing Fellowship, Gordon Parks Indie Film Award, CBS Director’s Initiative, AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, and recognition as a Sundance finalist. She has produced, written, and directed multiple award-winning shorts and features and was a writer/producer on “Monogamy.” Tamika founded the Make A Film Foundation, which grants film wishes to sick children, with assistance from the industry. She is a Rideback Rise (Circle) Fellow and a Shondaland directing finalist. Her Oscar-qualified short “Superman Doesn’t Steal” has been featured in over 50 festivals, winning numerous awards, and the feature script is currently in the second round of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab.

      About “Superman Doesn’t Steal”: During the Atlanta Child Murders, a young brother and sister captivated by comic books face traumatic events that challenge their understanding of heroes, villains, Superman, and themselves.

      Watch the NFMLA interview with Tamika Lamison, director of “Superman Doesn’t Steal”:

      “Gelato,” directed by Iga Lis

      About Iga: After earning a bachelor’s degree in History from the London School of Economics in 2021, Iga directed her social initiatives towards filmmaking. She has written and directed short films focusing on environmental issues for Google and Greenpeace. Additionally, she is a co-founder of Olsnienie.eu and Przebudzenie, projects aimed at boosting voter participation among Polish youth. Her work varies from experimental shorts and music videos to documentaries and creative pieces. Age and the different phases of human life are central themes in her projects, illustrated in her new short film “In My Day” and documentary feature “Baltic.”

      About “Gelato”: A homage to distinctly Polish seaside folklore, early 2000s nostalgia, and our romanticized memories of carefree childhood joy.

      Watch the NFMLA interview with Iga Lis, director of “Gel