Named after the first queer film produced in Lebanon, Cinema al Fouad is a unique film festival and the first of its kind in the country. Cinema al Fouad showcases films that give an insight into the day-to-day realities of the people who refuse to accept the rules and norms imposed by society. Stories of individuals and communities, who fight for their existence in societies that still suffer from cultural, social and legal obstacles to freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity. A space for filmmakers, audiences, communities, and civil society, the festival’s aim is to contribute to an urgent debate, disrupt the status quo, and pave the way for tolerance and actual change.

In partnership with Cinema Queer, and with the support of the Swedish Institute, Cinema al Fouad is launching an open call for a short film from the Arab world dealing with themes of identity, gender and sexuality, of queerness in the broadest and most inclusive sense of the term.