25 Years of AFLAMUNA: The Time is Now

This year is the 25th anniversary of AFLAMUNA, founded in 1999 as Beirut DC. We had imagined that we would be able to offer some sort of festivity on the occasion of this milestone. But now is not the time to celebrate, now is the time to reaffirm our commitments.

Now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to Palestine. The struggle of the Palestinian people is the struggle of those who believe in justice everywhere. We are devastated by the killing of over 40,000 Palestinians and 20,000 more buried under the rubble at the hands of the Israeli war machine, a machine upheld by the United States and European governments, a machine that is the embodiment of colonialism that remains alive and thriving. But we take strength in the rise of the peoples of the world to clearly and steadfastly oppose the ongoing genocide and their governments’ and institutions’ complicity in it. We are emboldened by the unbreakable spirit with which Palestinians continue to fight for their rights, for the past 76 years, and today.

Now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to the freedom of Arab filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences to be the voices of change in a region perpetually plagued by conflict, imperial greed, and the fall and rise of oppressive regimes. In the midst of all of this chaos, we remain steadfast in our support of marginalized narratives, our intent on challenging the status quo, and to imagine a better, more just world.

Now is definitely not the time for celebration, now is the time to reaffirm our commitments and double down on our efforts. That is why we are launching new endeavors that reflect our current state of mind, and the knowledge we have accumulated over the years, from the filmmakers we have supported, and the institutions we have partnered with.

Masahat AFLAMUNA is a new commitment towards audiences in the Arab world, especially in rural and historically underserved areas. We want to transform spaces of all kinds throughout the Arab world into vibrant and inclusive community cinemas. Through mapping, training, and funding, the initiative empowers cultural organizers to bring independent cinema and culture to their communities. This year, we will start with Lebanon, Tunisia (with Shashat), and, despite everything, Palestine. With our partners Film Lab Palestine, we are committed to acts of cultural resistance and a continued connection to Palestinian audiences and communities despite the ongoing assault.

If you are an aspiring Community Cinema-Maker in Lebanon or Palestine, apply here.

If you are a filmmaker, producer, or distributor who would like to screen your film non-commercially in spaces across the region, submit here.

AFLAMUNA Independent Resources Initiative supports the institutions across the Arab world that are pillars of the Arab film ecosystem, and, most importantly, the innovative ideas that can offer new solutions for the sector. Models that reinvent the way we produce, distribute, archive, train, and make films in our region. A call for these new initiatives was launched a couple of months ago, and we will soon announce the selected projects.

(With more to come.)

In this moment of grief, resistance, and reckoning, we are determined to pursue our efforts toward real and significant change in the region. Our projects and commitments aim to defy injustice، elevate culture and independence, and raise the voices of those who have been denied a voice. Together, we work for a future where human dignity is respected and justice prevails.

Decolonize now!