Interview
12 min read
Hana Khalil on Making Her First Feature Without Asking Permission
The Palestinian-American director talks about financing outside the studio system, shooting in Amman, and why she stopped waiting for the industry to catch up.
From the Studio
Stories.
Interviews, essays, podcast episodes, news, and updates from the HAFA community.
Featured Story
Interview
12 min read
Hana Khalil on Making Her First Feature Without Asking Permission
The Palestinian-American director talks about financing outside the studio system, shooting in Amman, and why she stopped waiting for the industry to catch up.
Podcast
54 min listen
Episode 18: The Arab Gaze — Who Gets to Tell Our Stories?
A conversation with three filmmakers on representation, authenticity, and the difference between being seen and being understood.
News
5 min read
HAFA Filmmaker Rami Aziz Wins Best Short at Carthage Film Festival
Rami Aziz's debut short 'Bab Al-Hara' took the jury prize at this year's Carthage Film Festival. We spoke with him the morning after.
Essay
8 min read
On Nostalgia and the Danger of the Beautiful Wound
Arab cinema has long been drawn to the aesthetics of loss. But what happens when longing becomes the whole story? A critical essay on sentimentality and its limits.
Interview
15 min read
Layla Mansour: 'Documentary Is the Most Political Form We Have'
The Lebanese documentarian on her decade-long project archiving oral histories from the Lebanese Civil War, and why she believes the archive is an act of resistance.
Video
7 min watch
Behind the Lens: A Day on Set with Karim Nasser
We spent a day with cinematographer Karim Nasser on the set of his latest project — a short film shot entirely in a single apartment in East Los Angeles.
Podcast
61 min listen
Episode 17: Funding Independent Arab Cinema in 2026
Grants, co-productions, diaspora networks, and the slow work of building infrastructure. With guests from three continents.
Essay
10 min read
What We Talk About When We Talk About Arab Identity in Film
Identity is not a costume. A reflection on how Arab filmmakers navigate the tension between cultural specificity and universal storytelling.
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The HAFA Podcast
Long-form conversations with Arab filmmakers, writers, and cultural thinkers. New episodes monthly — available wherever you listen.