Alwan for the Arts Presents 2006 Alwan Film Festival in New York City

Alwan for the Arts Presents 2006 Alwan Film Festival in New York City

Films from the Arab World, Iran, Turkey, and South Asia www.film.alwanforthearts.org

NEW YORK, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Alwan for the Arts announces its 2006 Film Festival -- a festival that is unprecedented in its scope to hit the Unites States. For ten days between April 14-23, more than thirty features, documentaries, and shorts from across the Arab World, Iran, Turkey, and South Asia will play in different NYC film venues. The film festival is dedicated to showcasing the talents of established and emerging filmmakers from the region. Almost all feature films will be world, US, or NY premiere screenings.

With various filmmakers and actors expected to attend, films will be screened with English subtitles at Tribeca Cinemas, NYU Cantor Film Center, Anthology Film Archives in addition to the headquarters of Alwan for the Arts located at 16 Beaver Street. Tickets are $10.00.

The 2006 Alwan Film Festival will feature some of the following films:

Zaman: The Man from the Reeds (IRAQ) directed by Amer Alwan --
NY PREMIERE and the first feature film from Iraq in fifteen years

Sex and Philosophy (IRAN, TAJIKISTAN, FRANCE) directed by Mohsen
Makhmalbaf--US PREMIERE

Downtown Girls (EGYPT) directed by Mohamed Khan--US PREMIERE

A New Day in Old Sana'a (YEMEN) directed by Bader Ben Hirsi - US PREMIERE
and is also Yemen's first feature film
**director attending

Public Relations (SYRIA) directed by Samir Zikra-WORLD PREMIERE
**director attending

The objective of the Alwan Film Festival is to offer filmmakers the opportunity to reach the broadest possible audience, to emphasize their creative outputs, as well as to create a keener interest in the diverse societies of the region. Major sponsors of the Alwan Film Festival include the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Columbia University and the Mosaic Foundation. "Despite the politicized image of the region, Iranian Cinema, for example, has established a positive cultural relationship with the outside world. There are numerous co-productions between Iran, Europe and Middle Eastern countries every year. In addition to exhibiting the films of renowned directors, the Alwan Film Festival will introduce US audiences to the works of a new generation of filmmakers," says Asal Shakeri, curator of the Iranian segment of the film festival.

Full synopses for all feature films, including the program schedule, can be viewed at www.film.alwanforthearts.org.

Alwan for the Arts, a non-profit organization founded in 1998, plays a leading role in promoting the diverse arts and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa in New York City. Alwan's mission is to educate the broader community and to enrich the cross-cultural and artistic encounter. In 2003, Alwan established a center in lower Manhattan which provides a physical base for its diverse cultural activities, and where they will host a gala dinner during the film festival on Friday, April 21st.

Source: Alwan for the Arts

CONTACT: Faye Rogaski, +1-212-579-5300, faye@fayeelizabeth.com, for
Alwan for the Arts

Web site: http://www.film.alwanforthearts.org/

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