Opening Night Film
Co-presented by the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul.
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Nadine Labaki’s Capernaum tells the story of Zain (Zain al Raffea), a Lebanese boy who sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life. The film follows Zain as he journeys from gutsy, streetwise child to hardened twelve-year-old “adult,” fleeing his abusive parents, surviving through his wits, and taking care of Ethiopian refugee Rahil (Yordanos Shiferaw) and her baby son Yonas (Boluwatife Treasure Bankole). Made with a cast of non-professionals playing characters whose lives closely parallel their own, Labaki placed her performers in familiar scenes and asked them to react spontaneously with their own words and gestures. Steeped in the quiet routines of ordinary people, Capernaum has an expansive palette that is presented with emotional intensity, unexpected tenderness, and poetic imagery.
Opening Night Party at Pracna
- Food by Zakia Deli
- Live Music: Dua with DJ Yasmeenah
- Opening Night Reception
Mizna supporters and film fest attendees are invited to celebrate the opening night of the 2018 Arab Film Fest with food, music, and live performances! The opening night party takes place at Pracna at 9:30 pm and is catered by Zakia Deli. Local multidisciplinary artist Dua will perform with DJ Yasmeenah at 10 pm. There is a suggested donation of $10. Mizna supporters who RSVP with a donation of $10 or more get a free copy of our latest issue of our literary journal, Mizna: The Playing Field at the door!
Dua is a multidisciplinary artist based in Minneapolis. Dua centers afrodiasporic resistance through a sociopolitically black, queer, and muslim lens. Dua has been featured by The Current, So-Far-Sounds, PEOPLE, First-Avenue Mainroom, Crystal Sound, and many more organizations/companies. Dua has also performed at places such as The Eaux Claire’s festival, The Global Roots Festival, The MNKino Film Festival, and much more.
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DJ Yasmeenah is a youth worker and co-founder of the organization Horn Of Hope. When she isn’t doing community work, she is DJing and writing screenplays. Her DJ sets include music genres like House, R&B, Hip hop, and experimental sounds.
Sponsors
TWIN CITIES ARAB FILM FESTIVAL
Mizna presents the thirteenth Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in partnership with the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul. The Arab Film Fest showcases modern Arab cinema, featuring debut screenings of independent narrative, documentary, and experimental features and shorts.