Dhafer L'Abidine Joins Star-Studded Cast of ‘El Selem W El Te'ban: Ahmed & Malak'
Sharing behind-the-scenes photos of L'Abidine on Instagram, the company wrote:
'We're excited to reveal that the amazing Dhafer L'Abidine will be our surprise in El Selem W El Te'ban: Ahmed & Malak. Expect the unexpected — and this is just the beginning!'
Cameras are now rolling on El Selem W El Te'ban: Ahmed & Malak, a modern reimagining of the beloved 2001 Egyptian classic. While not a direct sequel, the film represents a fresh exploration of love and relationships tailored to today's audience. Leading the cast are Amr Youssef and Asmaa Galal, joined by an impressive ensemble including Maged El Masry, Hatem Salah, Fadwa Abed, Heba Abd El Aziz, and Aya Selim. El Selem W El Te'ban: Ahmed & Malak is helmed by acclaimed director Tarek Alarian with a script by Ahmed Hosny, the film is on track to complete shooting by mid-July and is slated for a wide release across Egypt and the Arab world later this year.
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There are no trained teams specialising in film festival organisation, especially in Jerusalem, where the Jerusalem Arab Film Festival is the only one of its kind. We've been learning through trial and error, and also from our growing network across the Arab world: advisors, friends, and colleagues who've supported us with everything from detailed guidance to small practical tips. Our experience over the past years is what made this fifth round so successful, and I believe it's been our most impactful yet.' According to Shaheen, the way both the founders and the audience view the festival—what they expect it to be —has evolved over time. In the first three years, she says, the main focus was visibility, both locally and across the Arab world. But over the last two years, they have shifted their energy towards making the JAFF truly a festival for the people of this city. 'It had to feel like their festival. 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Since the beginning, a curated selection of the programme has screened in Bethlehem. But now the festival has spread wider. 'All of us, as Palestinians, were watching the same film at the same time, united across divisions, borders, and forced isolation. It was powerful. And it's an experience we absolutely plan to repeat in future editions.' The biggest challenge facing the festival over the last two years has been the war. In addition to instability, there is an intense public debate about whether it is appropriate to hold cultural events under the circumstances. But Shaheen is firm in her conviction: 'The occupation doesn't want us to live normal lives. Quite the opposite. It wants us to constantly feel like we're under military rule, that it controls our movements and our rhythms, and that we're trapped in a state of perpetual emergency, with everything around us pushing us to question whether staying is worth it at all. That's why I believe maintaining the festival is an act of resistance.' The screenings, the filmmaker Q & As, the masterclasses, the training workshops all open doors to young people to see cinema as a possibility or a future. That is why audience engagement has always been paramount: 'We constantly ask ourselves: is it really worth continuing? And each time, the answer comes from the public. The festival has become a fixed point on the city's cultural calendar. More and more young people ask to volunteer and join the team and that, to me, is priceless.' The public training workshops are designed not only for sharing knowledge, but to help participants explore their personal relationship with cinema too. 'There are no academic opportunities to study film in Jerusalem. But the city needs crews trained in different aspects of visual storytelling. Through the festival, we try to show young people that building skills in this field could benefit them professionally. At the same time, we're working to open channels with colleges and vocational schools, to encourage them to introduce film education. I dream of seeing a film institute in Jerusalem.' One of the most tangible outcomes of the festival's training efforts is its youth film production initiative. 'Each year, we select five out of 15 short film projects developed in the workshops, and we help produce them with the participation of all the trainees. Some of these films have even gone on to screen at festivals.' Throughout the year, JAFF organises a community-based film club, screening movies for children, youth and families in partnership with local centres in the isolated villages and neighbourhoods surrounding Jerusalem. 'It's deeply moving when people in these areas share memories of visiting cinemas that no longer exist: Cinema Al-Hamra, Cinema Al-Quds, Cinema Al-Zahra on Salah Al-Din Street. They recall how they would save pocket money for the tickets...' Curation is arguably the festival's most crucial challenge, a delicate process that requires deep caution. 'A single film that provokes the wrong reaction could lead to the festival being shut down. We're always thinking about how to avoid giving either the occupation or segments of our own society any excuse to attack or cancel this experience. It is not easy.' Ane yet, over the last two rounds, 'we've seen a real increase in the number of filmmakers and distributors from across the Arab world reaching out to us, asking to screen their films at JAFF.' Another major challenge is funding. In the inaugural year, five years ago, significant support came from the Palestinian private sector, which has since gradually stopped supporting the festival for a range of reasons. But the backing the festival has received from across the Arab world is nothing short of exemplary. 'Everyone wanted to contribute something to Jerusalem. They gave us their films, their advice, their unconditional support.' Shaheen also highlights the importance of local partnerships with Palestinian institutions, particularly the Palestinian National Theatre (Al-Hakawati), which has hosted screenings since the inaugural round. Other key partners include the French Cultural Centre in Jerusalem, which screens selected films in its garden, and the Dar Al-Tifl Al-Arabi Foundation, which hosts screenings and offers guided tours of its museum. In addition, the festival organises screenings in the Old City of Jerusalem, often paired with walking tours that explore the area's historic landmarks. This year, the festival also partnered with a popular youth café in the city, where films were screened as part of the café's weekly cultural events — a great success. JAFF has incorporated guided tours into its programme since the very beginning. 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