Cinephilia FTW Series is an annual screening program curated by Cinephilia Productions (New York based film production house), that highlights 5 short films by unique and remarkable voices from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. 
عرض أفلام سينيفيليا "صناع أفلام للمشاهده" هو عرض سنوي يتم أختيار الأفلام المشتركه به بواسطة "سينيفيليا" للأنتاج السينمائي (مقرها الولايات المتحده) لتسليط الضوء علي ٥ أفلام قصيره من صناعة مخرجين مميزين من الشرق الأوسط و أفريقيا و جنوب آسيا.

2015 edition:
CHRISTINE by Mounia Akl, Lebanon
"كريستين" 
(لبنان)
اخراج مونيا عقل
ORMAN by Onur Saylak & Dogu Yasar Akal, Turkey
"عمران"
(تركيا) 
- اخراج أنور سايلك و يسار عقل
SAHAR by Alexander Farah, Afghanistan/Canada
"سحر" 
(أفغانستان/ كندا) 
اخراج الكسندر فرح
TORNISTAN by Ayce Kartal, Turkey
تورنستان 
(تركيا) 
- اخراج ايسي كارتال 

THE AFTERMATH OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC TOILET AT KILOMETER 375 by Omar Al Zohairy, Egypt
"ما بعد وضع حجر الأساس لمشروع الحمام بالكيلو 375"
(مصر) 
- اخراج عمر الزوهيري


Total running time: 1h15min
مدة العرض ساعه و ١٥ دقيقه
more info: www.cinephiliaproductions.com/2015series


- CHRISTINE
written & directed by Mounia Akl
cast: Wafaa' Halawi, Christine Choueiry
producers: Cyril Aris & Leia Hasrouty

Synopsis
In an isolated Lebanese convent, Sister Christine struggles to keep her beloved disciple, Lilya, from a permanent departure, only to discover that her feelings are beyond maternal.

Awards & festivals
Best Creative Short (Cervantes Award) - MED Film Festival, Rome
Best Foreign Language Film - NYC Shorts Film Festival
Best of 2014 - Miami Short Film Festival
Palm Springs International Short Film Festival - Rhodes Island Film Festival
New Orleans Film Festival - MED Film Festival, Rome - NYC Shorts Film Festival
Miami Short Film Festival - Breakthrough Film Festival - Provincetown International Short Film Festival

- ORMAN
directed by Onur Saylak & Doğu Yaşar Akal
written by Hakan Günday, Doğu Yaşar Aka & Onur Saylak
Cast: Selim Bayraktar, Muhammet Uzuner, Tuba Büyüküstün, Mustafa Uğurlu, Mavi Mercan
produced by Ziya Cemre Kutluay - b.i.t arts

Synopsis
In the heart of Istanbul, the forest of nothingness and a mega city, Omar and his daughter struggle for their lives after fleeing the war in Syria. In this city witnessing all the sorrows and pleasures of the world, Omar, who was once a Public Works officer in his homeland, starts living like a beggar and tries to build his life on an utter obscurity. He pounds the pavement and begs for help with his daughters. The only source of income he could find is catching stray animals and selling them to Fahri, the pet shop owner. One day, however, Fahri comes to Omar with a strange request: He wants Omar to catch snakes in the forest at the outskirts of the city.

Awards & festivals
NewFilmmakers New York - Official Summer Selection 2015
Festival of Globe SF (Aug. 2015, San Francisco, USA)
FOG Award of Distinction Acting: Selim Bayraktar
FOG Award of Direction: Onur Saylak & Dogu Akal
22. Adana Golden Boll Mediterranean Short Film Competition (Sep. 2015, Adana, TR

- SAHAR
written & directed by Alexander Farah
produced by Alireza Taale
cast: Behtash Fazlali, Panthea Vatandoost, Mohammad Sarwari, Soheila Vatandoost

Synopsis
Nadim's parents struggle to understand the carefree and westernized lifestyle of their daughter Sahar. With tension high and tolerance low, the household remains at a standstill, waiting for her to come home. 

Awards & Festivals
Toronto International Film Festival 2014
Best Director, Best Actor & Best Student Film at Vancouver Short Film Festival 2014
Best Student Film at Yorkton Film Festival 2015
Nominated for five Leo Awards Best Short Drama, Best Direction, Best Picture Editing, Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama, Best Performance by a Female in a Short Drama

- TORNISTAN
written & directed by Aycal Kartal
produced by Les Valseurs

Synopsis
June 2013. Demonstrators occupy Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi park. While the tension and police brutality rise in the streets, the turkish TV broadcasts documentaries about penguins. Tornistan is a self-censored film criticizing this press censorship.

Awards & festivals
AKBANK Short Film Festival | Best Animation Film
Radical Democracy Video Challenge | Best Film Award
25th International Short Film Festival | 2nd Prize
Corto Lovere | Best Foreign Film
20th International Adana Golden Boll Film Festival, Mediterranean Countries Short Film Competition | Best Animated Film Award | Adana (2013)
25th International Ankara Film Festival | 2nd. Prize | Ankara
The Economist video contest | 1st Prize
Festival des Très Courts | Grand Prix

- THE AFTERMATH OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC TOILET AT KILOMETER 375
directed & produced by Omar El Zohairy
written by Sherif Naguib
cast: Samy Sayed
Synopsis
Fear is an instinct lying under the skin. But what if it mutates?

Awards & festivals
Official selection cannes film festival - Cinefondation compétition
Winner Best Student Film at Palm Springs International Shortfest
Special Jury Prize for Visual Storytelling at Nashville Film Festival
Best Short Film at 12th Bogota Short Film Festival
Jury prize 8th Kustendorf Film Festival
Special Prize at 21st Etiuda and Anima International Film Festival
Golden prize 3rd Luxor Egyptian & European Film Festival
20th Med Film Festival, Italy - 12th Dokufest International Short Film Festival, Kosovo
37th Mill Valley International Film Festival - 36th Cinemed Montpellier Festival of Mediterranean Film - 25th Stockholm International Film Festival, Sweden - 16th CinéSud African film festival 2015, France - 2nd Sudan Independent Film Festival - 8th LICHTER International Film Festival
3rd Film Festival Cinema Arabe, Amsterdam - 20th Vilnius International Film Festival, Lithuania
8th Festival de cine Al Este de Lima, Peru - 8th Ayam Beirut Al Cinema'iya, Lebanon

check out the Facebook event
https://www.facebook.com/events/823391561093075/

Entry 10LE