By Joseph Fahim

“Comedy doesn’t translate,” distributors and curators insist; cultural specificity, local pop culture references and the very rhythm and tone of humor are seen as impossible to universalize. Yet this is precisely why comedies are arguably the most authentic expression of their cultures.

By Joseph Fahim

Film, however politically explicit, can rarely match the immediacy of a speech. Unlike cinema, which, no matter how direct, remains open to interpretation, a speech is an unambiguous articulation of an artist’s political stance, delivered in real time on a global stage.

By Lauren Abunassar

“When I'm on stage, I do feel a huge sense of obligation to make sure that the comedy that I'm doing and the environment that I curate for people is in line with what my ideals are. I’m a representation of something bigger than me.”

By Joseph Fahim

For those who have experienced dictatorship and political oppression firsthand, it is difficult to digest one-dimensional characterization and an uncomplicated worldview.

By Lauren Abunassar

Historically, traditional Palestinian ceramics have been especially well suited for the cultural archive, given their role as both ornament and instruments for daily life — bowls for eating, jars for storing, tiles for cooling homes, vessels shaped by and for use.

By Joseph Fahim

What Arab cinema needs now is not decorative Oscar recognition, but sustained community engagement and inventive, grassroots marketing strategies.