Culture

"The Seed of the Sacred Fig"

The story of an Oscar nomination

Shot and set in Iran, "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" is this year's Oscar nomination from Germany. The film deftly portrays political and intergenerational conflicts in Iranian society but ignores the Kurdish origins of the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement.
By Schayan Riaz
Bushra Khalfan's "Dilshad"

Three generations of Omani history

Bushra Khalfan's award-winning "Dilshad" traces the story of one family through 20th-century Oman, shedding light on the untold stories of marginalised women and their fight for agency.
By Amany Alsiefy
Samia Mehrez's "The Many Lives of Ibrahim Nagui"

Reframing a divided legacy

Ibrahim Nagui was a pioneer of Egyptian romantic poetry. In this new part-biography, part-memoir, his granddaughter Samia Mehrez offers an intimate view of his work and influence.
By Marcia Lynx Qualey
Global publishing bias

Who defines "world literature"?

German publishers of "world literature" still prioritise Western works. With limited translations, lack of media attention and stereotypes in publishing, authors outside Europe and the US rarely get the attention they deserve.
By Gerrit Wustmann
Sudanese comedian Mustafa Jorry

"I used to be afraid of not being funny"

Sudanese comedian Mustafa Jorry has mastered the art of humour across languages and cultures. This month, he reaches a new milestone, joining Egyptian comedy giant Bassem Youssef on stage in Paris. How does he do it?
By Clara Taxis
Feminism & Pop in Tunisia

"The world doesn’t want loud women"

Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi, an icon of resistance during the 2011 Arab Spring protests, recently released an album exclusively produced by women. A conversation on metal, feminism and the beauty of the Arabic language.
By Atifa Qazi
Claudia Mende's new book

A century of Arab feminism

For over a century, Arab women from Tunisia to Saudi Arabia have fought for their rights, against violence, and for autonomy over their lives and bodies. In her new book, Claudia Mende amplifies their voices.
By Ceyda Nurtsch
Fairuz

Songs for a Lebanon that never existed

Lebanese singer Fairuz, now a 90-year-old icon, began her career 70 years ago with mould-breaking musical theatre. Setting artistic milestones alongside the Rahbani brothers, she soundtracked the history of Lebanon through an era marked by suffering and war.
By Mahmoud Hassan
On fleeing to Germany

Poems that strike a blow for freedom

The new collection "Sei neben mir und sieh, was mir geschehen ist" (Be beside me and see what happened to me) features works by 29 poets who arrived in Germany as refugees. Their texts, written in German, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, and Ukrainian, provide insights into their experiences.
By Gerrit Wustmann
Comic book author Joe Sacco

"Gaza was where the West went to die"

Trailblazing cartoonist and journalist Joe Sacco reflects on Western coverage of the war on Gaza, oral histories, and comics as a medium for critical journalism.
By Elias Feroz
Tunisia's Carthage Film Festival

Decolonial cinema

The Carthage Film Festival in Tunis aims to counter the Global North's dominance in the world of film. Until Sunday, a diverse range of films from Africa and West Asia will be screened. But can the festival truly fulfil its own ambitions?
By Vanessa Barisch
Palestinian director Dima Hamdan

"There is no pride when gay men are blackmailed"

Winner of the prestigious Iris Film Prize, Dima Hamdan's short film "Blood like Water" addresses how Israel uses the social stigma of homosexuality in Palestinian society to blackmail gay men.
By Nazeeha Saeed