Come and discover the hidden gems of Mediterranean Cinema and join us for engaging discussions with other language and culture enthusiasts! Every month, we will screen a film in one of the languages taught at our school.

This month it’s the turn of the Arabic world, so we’ll watch ‘Assal Eswed’ (Bittersweet, 2010) by Khalid Mar’iee.

Program
19:00 – 19:15 – Introduction
19:15 – 21:15 – Film
21:15 – 22:00 – Aftertalk

*The ticket price includes one free drink. The movie has English subtitles and the introduction and after-talk sessions will be in English or Arabic depending on the preference of the participants.

What to Expect
Before the screening, our teachers will provide an introduction to the film (in English), offering insights into its context, noteworthy elements, and characteristics of the work and the director, as your guide to fully savoring the cinematic experience.

After watching the film, we will have small conversation activities to chat more about what we have seen and share discoveries and points of view, and, if possible, use the language you are learning with fellow students, teachers, and native speakers.

About the movie
Masry Sayed El-Araby decides to return to his home country Egypt, to settle there after spending twenty years in the United States since he was ten years old. After arriving he goes through a series of events that leads him to being conned and losing his American passport. In a fit of anger, he throws away his Egyptian passport as well, which leaves him stranded in the country until he can get all of his documents back.

The film highlights the contradictions experienced by Egyptian society and Arab societies in general, and explains the reason for the desire of Arab youth to seek refuge abroad in search of better opportunities. At the same time, there are beautiful things that make Egyptians stay there: the good people, their morals, family warmth and contentment with the situation.