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SWANA Film Festival
Q&A with Festival Head Hajer

"SWANA is a decolonial term for the South West Asian & North African region.

SWANA displaces the terminologies of Middle Eastern, Near Eastern, Arab World or Islamic World that have colonial, Eurocentric, and Orientalist origins.

We use SWANA to acknowledge the diversity and complexities of our communities.”

Can you introduce yourself and your festival?

My name Is Hajer and I am an Iraqi-Australian writer and creative.

The SWANA Film Festival is a SWANA Film Festival will be an epic 3-day festival showcasing over 20 films spanning across Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Armenia, and Syria!

When and where is the film festival?

28-30 April 2023. At Riverside Theatres Parramatta

How are the films in your festival relatable to the diverse multicultural community in Sydney and in Australia?

We will be showcasing over 20 films from South West Asia and North Africa, spanning across Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Armenia, and Syria! The festival is proud to be representing five language groups across the festival.

What are the highlights of your film festival?

We will be having an opening Night Gala with food and DJ. We will be screening two Australian premieres, Baghdad in My Shadow, our opening night film, and Love, Spells and All That, our Saturday night film. Our Saturday matinee screening is dedicated to all Australian SWANA Films, including a live Q&A with the filmmakers. 2 of our feature films are Queer SWANA films. We have 5 different languages represented across the program. We are having a special Sunday brunch and screening of four short videos produced by the Refugee Art Project.

We offer three ticketing options:
All Access Passes for $80
3-session Pass for $60
Single session pass $28.50

What important themes does your film festival explore?

We are emphasising joy and healing from primarily gender-diverse and female perspectives of the SWANA community.

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Picture of Rolmar Baldonado

Rolmar Baldonado

Films for the cineaste. Were you moved, transported? Did you laugh, cry? Was it cathartic? Were you disturbed, affected, riveted? Did it make you think? Freelance film editor, cineaste and cinephile Twitter: @film_critik Twitter: @rolmar Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/filmcritik/

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