MADRID

Madrid will host the screening of Women in Cairo, where Yousri Nasrallah tackles the situation of an independent woman in present Egypt; Mohamed Al Daradji denounces through Son of Babylon the reality of Sadam Hussein’s regime victims; Elia Suleiman relates with an acute black humour and autobiographical details the life of a Palestinian family since 1948 in The Time that Remains; and Rachid Bouchareb spreads the story of those Maghrebian combatants who helped France during the Second World War in Days of Glory.

Women in Cairo, by Yousri Nasrallah (Egypt, 2009, 139 min.).
Cairo nowadays. Hebba and Karim are a married couple and both of them are successful, rich and pretty journalists. Hebba is a hostess of a popular TV political debate and her anti-governmental tenacity put at risk her husband’s promotion. He puts pressure on her and she ends up promising to slow down. She decides to pay attention to female stories and her success is immediate. Hebba captivates millions of spectators through real stories. Nevertheless, it does not take long for her to unveil a minefield full of abuses, religious, sexual and political lies. She transforms herself from being the interviewer into being the topic of the story itself.

Son of Babylon, by Mohamed Al Daradji (Iraq, United Kingdom, France, Holland, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Palestine, 2009, 100 min.).
Ahmed is a Kurdish child aged 12 who after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime travels through the North of Iraq looking for his father accompanied by his grandmother. During the Gulf War his father was a soldier arrested by Saddam’s regime and he never came back. During this adventure Ahmed meets his loved ones, different people in his very same situation and he will walk into a new life. Ahmed will be changed forever after this trip.

The time that remains, by Elia Suleiman (Palestine, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and France, 2009, 109 min.).
In 1948, during those finals hours before the surrender of Nazareth, when the Israeli State was being created, Fuad, a member of the Palestinian resistance, is separated from Thurayya, the love of his life. She runs away from conflict and moves to Jordan with her family, while Fuad is captured before being able to flee. Years go by and Nazareth is still under martial law. Fuad, as the rest of the population, is under the secret services’ surveillance. Arrested and accused of smuggling weapons, he runs into Thurayya in a police station, because she has a visiting permit to go back and to be with her sick father. The film includes the filmmaker most personal memories regarding his own family and tries to depict the daily life of those Palestinian who remained, those named “Israeli Arabs” living as a minority in their own homeland.

Days of glory [Indigènes], by Rachid Bouchareb (France, Belgium, Morocco and Algeria, 2006, 120 min.).
Year 1943. Although they have never set a foot in France, due to the war, Saïd, Abdelkader, Messaoud and Yassir are going to enlist in the French army to liberate their motherland from the Nazi enemy. Forgotten by History, these heroes will be victorious in Italy, Provence and the Vosges before facing on their own a German battalion while defending an Alsatian village.

Monday 4th  June	Son of Babylon
Friday 8th June	Days of Glory
Monday 11th June	Women in Cairo
Friday 15th June	Son of Babylon
Monday 18th June	The time that remains
Friday 22nd June	Women in Cairo
Monday 25th June	Days of Glory
Friday 29th June	The time that remains

In Madrid, the screenings will take place at 19.30. Original version with subtitles in Spanish. Free entrance previous ticket collection –one per person- from 19.00 on.

CÓRDOBA

In Cordoba, within the framework of the program “Cinema on Fridays at Casa Árabe”, the screening program will be The time that remains, by Elia Suleiman (Palestine, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and France, 2009, 109 min.); Hello Cousin!, by Merzak Allouache (Algeria and France, 1996, 96 min.); Yalla, yalla!, by Jossef Fares (Sweden, 2001, 88 min.); Bab Aziz, by Nacer Khemir (Tunisia, 2005, 98 min.); and Casanegra, by Nour-Eddine Lakhmari (Morocco, 2008, 110 min.).

The time that remains, by Elia Suleiman (Palestine, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and France, 2009, 109 min.).
In 1948, during those finals hours before the surrender of Nazareth, when the Israeli State was being created, Fuad, a member of the Palestinian resistance, is separated from Thurayya, the love of his life. She runs away from conflict and moves to Jordan with her family, while Fuad is captured before being able to flee. Years go by and Nazareth is still under martial law. Fuad, as the rest of the population, is under the secret services’ surveillance. Arrested and accused of smuggling weapons, he runs into Thurayya in a police station, because she has a visiting permit to go back and to be with her sick father. The film includes the filmmaker most personal memories regarding his own family and tries to depict the daily life of those Palestinian who remained, those named “Israeli Arabs” living as a minority in their own homeland.

Hello, Cousin, by Merzak Allouache (Algeria and France, 1996, 96 min.).
A young Algerian arrives in Paris, where his cousin has been living for some time. He has been told that it is the promised land and that easy money is at hand. Once there, he discovers that things are not as expected.

Yalla, yalla!, by Jossef Fares (Sweden, 2001, 88 min.).
A young man with Lebanese origins who lives in Sweden, Roro, decides to finally introduce his Swedish girlfriend to his family. That very same afternoon he finds out that his wedding to a Lebanese girl is being arranged and that she will be sent back to Lebanon if she does not marry him. Roro and his best friend do their best to try to solve the situation.

Bab'Aziz - The Prince Who Contemplated His Soul, by Nacer Khemir (Tunisia, 2005, 98 min.).
A girl called Ishtar and her grandfather Bab Aziz, a blind sufi, wander the desert in search of a great reunion of dervishes that takes place just once every thirty years. To be able to find out where the meeting is, having faith and listening with the heart the infinite silence of the desert is a must.

Casanegra, by Nour-Eddine Lakhmari (Morocco, 2008, 110 min.)
Two young people in their twenties from Casablanca, Adil and Karim, childhood friends, try to make a living out of what they have learnt on the streets. Karim uses small children to sell cigarettes; he wants to amend his life and to become a well-respected man. Adil wants to solve all his problems with a visa to work in the Swedish city of Malmo. Nevertheless, their dreams face the harsh truth when a woman shows up in their lives.

Friday 1st June	The time that remains
Friday 8th de June	Hello, cousin
Friday 15th de June	Yalla, yalla!
Friday 22nd de June	Bab Aziz
Friday 29th de June	Casanegra

In Cordoba, screening sessions will take place at 20.00 and entrance is free until the space provided is fully booked.