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The Museums at Washington and Lee University will present an evening of contemporary short films by Arab and South Asian filmmakers on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. in Stackhouse Theater, followed by a post-screening discussion on identity, culture, community and pride.
The program is inspired by the current exhibition “We Love Life Whenever We Can,” on view through Dec. 8 in Leyburn Library.
The screening is open to the public, but space is limited, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We’re thrilled to give members of the W&L community a taste of some of the exciting work being done around the globe in the realm of contemporary short films by bringing these three films right to our doorstep,” said Elizabeth Spear, Museums at W&L curator of academic engagement. “This will be a great space for students, faculty and staff to discuss their responses to ‘We Love Life Whenever We Can’ and how the exhibition might resonate on a personal level.”
The program will feature three short films by Ali Boudra, Karina Dandashi and Miryam Mir. Each film is approximately 13 minutes long and will explore the nuances of identity through family, religion and culture in North Africa and the United States.
“Bouchaib” (2022), directed by Ali Boudra, tells the story of a young boy wrestling with issues of identity and forced assimilation during the French colonization of Morocco.
“Cousins” (2023), directed by Karina Dandashi, tells the story of two cousins born in separate countries reuniting in a Brooklyn bar, where a run-in with an ex makes the night even more chaotic.
“Sweet Refuge” (2022), directed by Miryam Mir, follows the journey of a Syrian baklava baker as he struggles to continue his life’s work in a new country.
For more information about the 2023-24 exhibition and programming schedule, visit the Museums at W&L’s website: https://www. wlu.edu/arts/museums/visit/exhibitions/.
