Middle East Now 2026
From 6 to 11 October in Florence, a festival dedicated to cinema, contemporary culture, and the arts of the Middle East and North Africa
From October 6 to 11, Middle East Now returns to Florence—a festival dedicated to cinema, contemporary culture, and the arts of the Middle East and North Africa. Now in its 17th edition, the festival kicks off the new season of 50 Days of Cinema in Florence and brings to the city over 30 films, documentaries, exhibitions, talks, and projects dedicated to the social and cultural transformations of the region.
Screenings and events will take place at Cinema La Compagnia, Cinema Astra, and other venues in Florence, creating a program that highlights the perspectives of independent filmmakers, artists, and creators. The festival’s stated goal is to go beyond conventional representations of the Middle East and portray a complex and multifaceted reality through cinema and contemporary forms of expression.
Middle East Now 2026: The Theme Is Radical Movements
The central theme of the 17th edition of Middle East Now is RADICAL MOVEMENTS. This theme builds upon the previous edition, which was dedicated to Radical Imagination, and shifts the focus from imagination to action: from the moment an idea is conceived to the moment it becomes a movement and brings about change.The concept of movement is explored in a broad sense: it includes the physical movement of migration and cross-border travel, movement imposed by wars and conflicts, as well as social and political movements that emerge in response to the conditions faced by communities.Cinema thus becomes a tool for observing the present through personal perspectives that are often far removed from the most well-known narratives. The 2026 program focuses on so-called “counter-narratives”, through which filmmakers, artists, and activists recount their own realities, memories, and the transformations of the societies in which they live.
The StoriesOver 30 films from Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Middle East
The heart of Middle East Now 2026 will be its film program, featuring over 30 titles from various countries in the region.Special attention will be given to Palestine, Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon, along with films and documentaries from, among others, Egypt, Morocco, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. This selection spans various genres and styles, ranging from documentaries to arthouse cinema, from comedy to autobiographical narratives.Among the announced films are several that have won awards or been screened at major international film festivals.
Gaza and Palestine
One of the central focuses of the 2026 edition will once again be dedicated to Palestine and Gaza. Among the announced titles is Gaza’s Twins, Come Back to Me (2025) by Mohammed Sawwaf, an immersive documentary that follows the story of a mother searching for her twin sons, separated at birth by war.Offering another perspective on daily life in the Palestinian territories is House of Hope by Marjolein Busstra, set in a school in the West Bank where a teacher and her husband strive to maintain a space for learning and serenity for the children despite the military occupation and daily uncertainty.Also scheduled is the premiere of Palestine Comedy Club (2025) by Alaa Aliabdallah, which follows a group of Palestinian stand-up comedians on their journey through the checkpoints. Among them is Alaa Shehada: the film explores comedy as a form of expression and resistance in everyday life.
From Iran to Iraq: Stories of Migration, Identity, and Resistance
The film selected to open the festival comes from Iran: A Fox Under a Pink Moon (2025) by Mehrdad Oskouei, winner of the latest edition of IDFA, according to the festival’s previews.The film is based on five years of footage shot on a cell phone by the protagonist, Soraya, and weaves together documentary footage with animations inspired by her drawings. At its core are the experiences of Afghan refugees and a personal account told directly through the protagonist’s perspective. From Iraq comes Flana (2025) by Zahraa Ghandour, a documentary exploring the plight of abandoned Iraqi girls who are victims of violence.Also from Iraq is the highly anticipated Irkalla: Gilgamesh’s Dream (2025) by Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, set in Baghdad during the 2019 protests. The story follows two orphaned friends living on the outskirts of the city as they pursue the possibility of a different future.
Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan
The theme of displacement and exile also resurfaces in One in a Million (2026) by Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes, a documentary filmed over the course of ten years that chronicles a young woman’s journey from Syria to Germany and back. The film explores war, migration, life in exile, and family relationships.From Morocco comes Out of School (2025) by Hind Bensari, set in a village in the Atlas Mountains and centered on the story of a brother and sister forced to drop out of school. The story of A Matter of Life and Death (2025) by Anas Ba-Tahaf shifts completely in tone and style; this Saudi romantic comedy tells the story of the encounter between Hayat, a young woman convinced she is the victim of a curse, and Yousef, an introverted heart surgeon.From Afghanistan comes Writing Hawa (2025) by Najiba Noori and Rasul Noori, a documentary that tells the story of Hawa, a woman who, after a child arranged marriage, manages to embark on a journey toward independence and literacy. However, the Taliban’s return to power once again alters her family’s fate.
The Focus on Lebanon
Special attention will also be given to Lebanon, through three films that explore the relationship between memory, war, loss, and identity. Among the announced titles is Souraya Mon Amour (2025) by Nicolas Khoury, a reflection on memory and loss linked to the figure of Lebanese director Maroun Baghdadi.There will also be I Can’t Think of Anything Right Now by Hussen Ibraheem, a surreal journey through Beirut, while The Silence of the Plain (2026) by Zeina Sfeir—a personal film about growing up in the shadow of war and the consequences of unresolved grief in contemporary Lebanese society—will receive its world premiere.
From Egypt comes *The Stories*
Also among the highlights is *The Stories* (2026), the latest film by Abu Bakr Shawky, presented in its Italian premiere. The story begins in the summer of 1967, when Ahmed, a young aspiring pianist, receives a letter from Liz, an Austrian pen pal. Over the next fifteen years, their correspondence accompanies the protagonist as he strives to realize his dream: to perform in concert despite the context of war. The film thus blends personal memory and collective history, with a tone that alternates between nostalgia and humor.
ONE IN A MILLION What Moves Us: The Photography Exhibition at the Street Levels Gallery
The Middle East Now 2026 program isn’t limited to film. FromOctober 8 to 31, 2026, at the Street Levels Gallery at Via Melegnano 4, visitors can view “WHAT MOVES US”, a photography exhibition curated by Roi Saade and dedicated to the works of Erdem Varol from Turkey, Skander Khlif from Tunisia, and Ebrahim Bahaa-Eldin from Egypt.The exhibition draws direct inspiration from the theme Radical Movements and explores the relationship between people, places, and a sense of belonging. The photographs span urban and rural contexts and depict everyday life through images in which the boundaries between the private sphere and public space become increasingly blurred.
Also in Florence: Khalid Albaih with “Revolution, Intermission”
Among the special events of the 2026 edition is the participation of Khalid Albaih, a Sudanese artist and political cartoonist in exile. In Florence, he will present “Revolution, Intermission”, an exhibition curated by researcher Bayan Abubakr, accompanied by a talk.Albaih’s work uses political cartoons as a tool for observing reality and recent history. The exhibition traces cycles of revolution and counterrevolution and brings together a selection of works related to the last twenty years of history in the Arab and African worlds. His artistic practice lies at the intersection of political satire, contemporary art, human rights, visual culture, and freedom of expression.
For the complete program and to purchase tickets, click here.
