2025 HIGHLIGHTS

Opening Film: A quietly powerful portrait of family, memory, and belonging, The Tale of Daye’s Family opens the festival with intimacy and depth. Through Daye’s world, the film explores generational ties, unspoken truths, and the delicate balance between personal desire and familial responsibility. Grounded in humanity and rich emotional detail, this opening selection sets the tone for a festival rooted in storytelling that feels honest, resonant, and deeply lived.

Bold, unsettling, and emotionally charged, ELECTRA reimagines obsession, desire, and power through a strikingly contemporary lens. The film pulls the audience into an intense psychological terrain where control and vulnerability collide, and nothing is quite as it seems. Visually confident and narratively daring, ELECTRA challenges perception and invites discomfort in the most compelling way, making it a provocative cinematic experience that lingers long after the final frame.

Tense, intimate, and quietly unsettling, If You See Something examines the fragile line between vigilance and suspicion. As ordinary moments begin to feel charged with unease, the film explores how fear, perception, and responsibility shape human behavior in times of uncertainty. Anchored in realism and emotional restraint, this film invites the audience to question what it truly means to watch, to act, and to live with the consequences of both.

Tender and reflective, Transient Happiness explores the fleeting moments that shape who we are and who we become. Through subtle gestures and quiet encounters, the film captures love, loss, and the impermanence of joy with poetic restraint. Intimate and deeply human, Transient Happiness lingers in the spaces between moments, reminding us that even what passes can leave a lasting imprint.

Grounded, intimate, and quietly resonant, Arze tells a story shaped by place, memory, and the weight of everyday choices. The film follows its characters through moments of restraint and revelation, capturing the beauty and tension found in lives lived between tradition and change. With emotional subtlety and visual honesty, Arze unfolds as a deeply human portrait that lingers long after the screen fades to black.

Poignant and quietly disarming, Seeking Safe Haven for Mr. Rambo blends tenderness with social realism in a story about displacement, dignity, and unlikely companionship. As its characters navigate uncertainty and survival, the film reveals moments of warmth and resilience in the most unexpected places. Anchored in empathy and subtle humor, this film offers a deeply human reflection on what it truly means to search for safety, belonging, and home.

A conversation with Ahmed Helmy on craft, cultural impact, and the evolution of Arab cinema.

A conversation on rising Arab talent in LA, creative identity, and the future of storytelling at Hollywood Arab Film Festival

Following the screening of ELECTRA, Hala Matar and Daryl Wein led an engaging conversation on vision, collaboration, and the bold creative choices behind bringing this narrative feature to life.

Following the LA screening, Jess Jacobs, Tarek Bishara, and Youssef Assabahi came together for an intimate conversation on collaboration, character development, and the creative choices behind bringing If You See Something to the screen.

Following the screening of The Rain Lady, Lyla Mzayek, Sue Shaheen, and Ahmed Mawwas joined HAFF Artistic Director Abraam Mikhael for a thoughtful conversation on emerging voices, performance, and the creative journey behind this compelling student film.