Arna’s Children

Zakaria Zubeidi, one of the imprisoned Palestinians who escaped this week, was featured in the documentary Arna's Children when he was a boy. The film, available here, showcases the grim reality of children’s life under Israeli occupation.

Waleed Zuaiter and His Latest Project: Baghdad Central

“Deep inside, I always knew I wanted to become an actor,” says Waleed Zuaiter, star of Hulu's highly-praised Baghdad Central. Yet Zuaiter, whose acting credentials are extensive, did not take a direct path to acting. Born in Sacramento, Zuaiter moved to Kuwait with his family at the age of five and spent his summers back in the Bay Area where his mother’s family was based. He describes his childhood as “the best of both worlds.”

Remembering the Gaza War

Dr. Farouq Ahmad Zuaiter (“Abu Abbas”) - In Memoriam

Dr. Farouq Ahmad Zuaiter passed away on February 15, 2018. “Abu Abbas” as he was referred to often was a highly respected financial executive, investment manager and a significant contributor to the economic growth of the Palestinian economy in the face of Israeli occupation.

Farah Nabulsi: Filmmaker

Farah Nabulsi, the daughter of a Palestinian mother and Palestinian-Egyptian father, grew up on a quiet street in London. A banker for many years with JP Morgan and then the founder of a private business, Nabulsi decided to leave the business world after a trip to Palestine in 2013. The systematized oppression and humiliation of Israel’s military occupation was something Nabulsi didn’t understand on her trips to Palestine from London as a child.

Director Mai Masri Explores Occupation, Incarceration in 3,000 Nights

Palestinian filmmaker Mai Masri’s debut feature, 3,000 Nights, is Jordan's submission to this year's Academy Awards, and was Palestine's submission to the Golden Globes. Masri is an acclaimed documentarian whose films have received over 60 international awards, and is considered a pioneer in the changing Middle Eastern film landscape.

Like Hero Tupac, Israeli Arab Rapper’s Music Provokes

Israeli Arab rapper Tamer Nafar's politically-charged lyrics have sparked the same kind of controversy that may have made his hero Tupac Shakur proud. Nafar, from the pioneering political rap group DAM, has touched a nerve with songs like "Who's the Terrorist?" skewering what he and others say is discrimination against Arabs in Israel.

Gaza Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Film Festival

“Turn them off? Off?” asked an employee of the Rashad Shawa Cultural Center in Gaza City repeatedly as he talked on his cellphone. Once he received a clear answer from the director of the center, he headed to the small control room at the far end of the hall teeming with more than 1,000 attendees, who sat on chairs, lay on the floor or stood leaning against the walls.

The House Lights, if Not the Stars, Shine Bright at Gaza’s Film Festival

On the big screen, a Palestinian was trying to audition for a singing contest over the Internet, because he was unable to leave the Gaza Strip. But the shoddy connection kept freezing, and the plucky hero eventually disappeared into a hazy cloud of belching smoke, as the generator he was using broke down.