21st Arab World Film Festival opens in São Paulo

São Paulo witnessed the opening of the 21st Arab World Film Festival on Wednesday, organized by the Arab Culture Institute (ICArabe) in collaboration with São Paulo Social Service of Commerce (SESC-SP). The event, sponsored by the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and Casa Árabe, will run until September 8 and feature nine films, seven of which are Brazilian debuts. All screenings will take place at CineSesc in São Paulo.

The festival's opening screening showcased Calle Málaga (2025), directed by Maryam Touzani, starring Carmen Maura. The film follows a Spanish woman living in Tangier, Morocco, as her daughter decides to sell their apartment, forcing her to remain in the city and preserve her home. The film delves into her journey, which unveils new discoveries.

Arthur Jafet, the festival's curator and director of the Arab Chamber, emphasized that the goal was to highlight Arab societies in motion, steering clear of a singular or oversimplified portrayal of the Arab world. The selected films explore themes of family, territories, and memories, aiming to broaden the perspective not just thematically, but also through storytelling by a younger generation envisioning a different future.

Jafet highlighted Calle Málaga, Cotton Queen (2025) by Suzannah Mirghani, and Hijra (2025) by Shahad Ameen, the latter depicting three generations of Saudi women and their perceptions of freedom.

Another objective of the festival is to demonstrate to audiences that the Arab world is not monolithic, but a diverse collection of countries and people with vastly different realities, including Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Iraq. Founded 21 years ago, the Arab World Film Festival continues to fulfill its mission of offering Brazilian audiences a nuanced understanding of Arab societies, avoiding simplistic images over these 21 editions.

The festival has also witnessed a significant transformation in Arab cinema, with new generations of filmmakers, increased female representation, films from previously underexposed countries, and a growing diversity of languages and subjects.