Albanian movie – ZANA – released on dvd

Posted on 3, April 2021 by julianwhiting

ZANA (15) ALBANIA 2019 KASTRATI,ANTONETA £15.99
Lume, lives with her husband, Ilir, and mother-in-law, Remzije, in their small Kosovar village.

Haunted by long-suppressed traumas from the war , childless and unable to get pregnant, Lume is relentlessly pressured by Remzije to fulfill her wifely duties – if Lume cannot produce a child, her mother-in-law threatens, it will be Remzije’s responsibility to bring in a younger and more eager prospective wife for her son to consider.

In Albanian with English subtitles

Available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Algerian film – PAPICHA – released on dvd

Posted on 6, January 2021 by julianwhiting

PAPICHA (15) 2020 ALGERIA MEDDOUR, MOUNIA IN FRENCH £15.99
Talented young student, Papicha, struggles against the rise of radical Islamism in 1990s Algeria. Papicha spends her time having nights out with friends and designing her own fashion line. However, all that is about to change when Islamic insurgents attempt to make compulsory the veiling of women.

As Papicha’s freedoms become more and more restricted, she must either choose to resist the regime or conform to the oppressive rules to keep she and her friends safe.

In French with English subtitles. Also dubbed into Arabic

PAPICHA FRENCH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM NOTES

dvd available to buy from-

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/french-dvds

Israeli movie – THE CAKEMAKER – issued on dvd

Posted on 22, January 2020 by julianwhiting

THE CAKEMAKER (15) 2017 ISRAEL GRAZIER, OFIR RAUL £15.99
German baker Thomas starts a relationship with Oren, a married Israeli businessman.

However when Oren suddenly dies, Thomas travels to Israel to meet Oren’s wife, Anat and gets a job working in her café.

Keeping his relationship with Oren a secret, Thomas becomes more and more involved in Anat’s life.

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Roy Miller

Award winning Lebanese film – CAPERNAUM – out on Dvd and Blu Ray

Posted on 31, July 2019 by julianwhiting

CAPERNAUM (15) 2018 LEBANON LABAKI, NADINE DVD £15.99 BLU RAY – £19.99
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the film follows a 12-year-old Lebanese boy, Zain, living on the streets caring for a baby.

After serving a prison sentence, Zain sues his parents for the “crime” of giving him life.

In Arabic with English subtitles

Guardian Review – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/20/capernaum-review-nadine-labaki-zain-al-rafeea

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Mexican film – LUCIÉRNAGAS /FIREFLIES – released on dvd

Posted on 19, June 2019 by julianwhiting

LUCIÉRNAGAS /FIREFLIES (18) 2018 MEXICO KHOSHNOUDI, BANI £15.99
Ramin, a gay refugees escaping homophobic Iran, arrives in Veracruz, Mexico.

After his failed attempt to get to Europe, Ramin, single-mindedly, steers his own course. This course might be shaped by the immigrant experience or conversely by the homophobic culture he came from.

In Spanish English and Persian with English subtitle

DVD available to buy at –
http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/spanish-latin-american-films-on-dvd

Palestinian movie – WAJIB – issued on dvd

Posted on 17, January 2019 by julianwhiting

WAJIB (15) 2017 PALESTINE JACIR, ANNEMARIE £15.99
A Palestinian man reunites with his estranged son in preparation for his daughter’s wedding. However old tensions begin to resurface between the pair as they await confirmation of whether Shadi’s mother, who has moved to America, will be able to attend.

In Arabic with English subtitles

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Israeli drama – IN BETWEEN – out on dvd

Posted on 29, January 2018 by julianwhiting

IN BETWEEN (15) 2016 ISRAEL HAMOUD, MAYSALOUN £14.99
Israeli drama about three Palestinian women living in the heart of Tel Aviv who lead complex lives in a predominantly Jewish society and despite their varied backgrounds and lifestyles look to find romantic.

Independent lawyer Layla refuses to compromise on her underground lifestyle, gay DJ Salma maintains a facade of propriety in the presence of her conservative Christian family and traditionally educated Muslim girl Nour is studying for a degree at Tel Aviv University.

They each share their minority position in their society as well as their struggle to find romantic partners capable of accepting their complex lives.

In Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles

Two recently released Middle Eastern films on dvd

Posted on 6, November 2017 by julianwhiting

TRAMONTANE (U) 2016 LEBANON BOULGHOURJIAN, VATCHE £13.99
Blind singer Rabih Ralek finds out that his identity card and set sets off on a journey to discover his true identity. Rabih meets a variety of different characters and listens to the stories of their lives as he desperately searches for any fragment of truth about his own.

In Arabic with English subtitles

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

INSYRIATED (15) 2017 SYRIA LEEUW, VAN PHILIPPE £12.99
Tense film about life in war torn Damascus, as a mother attempts to keep her family safe in their apartment as war rages outside and a sniper bullet threats anyone who ventures outside.

In Arabic with English subtitles

Iranian movie -INVERSION – released on dvd

Posted on 29, August 2017 by julianwhiting

INVERSION (PG) 2016 IRAN BEHZADI, BEHNAM £15.99
With air pollution becoming so bad in Tehran, Niloofar and her elderly mother are advised to leave the city on health grounds.

However Niloofar is reluctant to leave the city, where she has a successful tailoring business and a budding romantic relationship.

Will she decide to stay in the city or succumb to her family’s wishes and move away with her ailing mother?

In Farsi with English subtitles

DVD available to buy at

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/iranian-films-on-dvd

Egyptian film – CLASH – out on dvd and Blu Ray

Posted on 15, August 2017 by julianwhiting

CLASH (15) 2016 EGYPT DIAB, MOHAMED DVD – £15.99 BLU RAY – £19.99
Set entirely in the back of a police van which is transferring demonstrators and journalists from different political and social backgrounds through the streets of Cairo while the city is in turmoil as the civil war unfolding around them. As they transverse the city the occupants of the van begin to clash as their political and religious beliefs become known.

In Arabic with English subtitles

Guardian review – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/13/clash-review-egyptian-revolution

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Syrian set Arabic film – BORDER – issued on dvd

Posted on 15, August 2017 by julianwhiting

BORDER (12) 2013 SYRIA/ITALY CREMONINI, ALESSIO IN ARABIC £9.99
Independent Arabic-language drama, which cast first-time Syrian born actors Sara El Debuch and Dana Keilani, as two devout Muslims sister living in Syria and who are forced to flee to Turkey with the aid of a friend.

In Arabic with English subtitles

DVD available to buy from –

http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Israeli romantic comedy – THROUGH THE WALL – issued on dvd

Posted on 20, February 2017 by julianwhiting

THROUGH THE WALL (U) 2016 ISRAEL BURSHTEIN, RAMA £15.99
Heartwarming romantic comedy about an orthodox Jew, Michal, as she desperately searches for a husband after her intended pulls out of marriage .

In Hewbrew with English subtitles

DVD available to buy from – http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Palestinian drama – IDOL – available on dvd

Posted on 24, October 2016 by julianwhiting

THE IDOL (PG) 2015 PALESTINE ABU-ASSAD, HANY £19.99
Gaza refugee and musician Mohammed Assaf plans to take part in the 2013 edition of ‘Arab Idol’. This involves a dangerous crossing into Egypt for the first auditions of ‘Arab Idol’ in Cairo .

In Arabic with English subtitles

DVD available to buy from – http://www.worldonlinecinema.com/Home/africa-middle-east-mediterranean-cinema-on-dvd

Recent middle Eastern dvd releases

Posted on 14, July 2016 by julianwhiting

NEXT TO HER (15) 2014 ISRAEL KORMAN, ASAF IN HEBREW £15.99

27-year-old Rachel is the full-time carer for her younger sister Gabby, who has severe learning difficulties. However when Rachel finds romance, she has to find a way to break the co-dependence between the two sisters.

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RATTLE THE CAGE (18) 2015 UEA MAJID AL ANSARI £19.99
Thriller set in the United Arab Emirates. Recovering alcoholic Talal wakes up in a police cell after a night on the town. This seems at first to be an unlucky turn of fate, until psychopathic Dabaan enters the jail and kills the only police officer on duty.

TAXI TEHRAN (12) 2015 IRAN PANAHI, JAFAR £15.99
After being banned by the Iranian government from making films and placed under house arrest, Panahi poses as a taxi driver and drives around the busy streets of Tehran picking up passengers and recording their conversations.