san diego
arab film festival
The 2026 San Diego Arab Film Festival will open March 27 with Annemarie Jacir’s acclaimed film Palestine 36, a drama set in the 1936 rebellion against the British Mandate. Other films include the Academy Award nominated The Voice of Hind Rajab, Cherien Dabis’ All That’s Left of You, Jordan’s submission to the Oscars, as well as 5 other features and 8 short films from Lebanon, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Iran and the US.
Tickets are on sale now! Tickets may be purchased for each screening as well as for 2 packages at discounted prices, one package is a festival pass for all 8 screenings and one for 3 tickets of your choice. Also available for purchase is an Arabic dinner (served cafeteria style) The menu varies for each night and includes both meat and vegetarian options.
Click on the BUY TICKETS button and select the screening you’re interested in for information about the evenings films and the dinner menu.
The San Diego Arab Film Festival is receiving support from the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture. This recognition and support represents an important milestone for the Festival and for San Diego’s Arab Community: it shows that Arab culture is an important part of the fabric of San Diego! In addition, on-going support from the Arts and Culture Commission helps lay the groundwork for the Festival’s growth as a dynamic part of San Diego’s cultural life.
Financial support is provided by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.
KARAMA’s vision is to grow the San Diego Arab Film Festival into a major cultural event that enhances the identity, perception and understanding of the Arab and the Arab world. Doing so will require time, energy and money. You can help in multiple ways…
For all inquires, please fill out the form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. We’ll be happy to answer all of your questions.
In this short film, Mohammed, a young Palestinian, embarks on a tense journey to cross an Israeli checkpoint with a temporary Polish identity card. After being turned down by other drivers, Farouk, a well-meaning taxi driver, offers him a ride. However, they soon encounter severe trouble when the checkpoint authorities discover Mohammed’s previous failed attempt to cross. The film powerfully captures the oppressive reality of life under occupation and the personal costs involved.
Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A 6-year old girl is trapped in a car under IDF fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. The Voice of Hind Rajab was the official submission to the Oscars from Tunisia and was nominated by the Academy for Best International Feature.
Screening #2 begins at 8:35 PM:
In this short film, set in 1956, 8 year old Nabil navigates through new social norms he cannot fathom that impact his next door best friend in post nationalized Egypt. Inspired by true events.
A comedic ode to Tunisia’s youth, TUNIS-DJERBA presents the story of Alyssa, a rebellious 19 year-old girl, and her friend Mehdi – a shy and introverted 23-year-old young man – who use their imagination to escape their unpromising reality. When they discover a contest in the south of Tunisia that may allow them to flee for real, they decide to undertake the road trip regardless of the obstacles in their way.
