A melange of unexpected stories about family and overcoming obstacles highlighted the InFocus: Middle Eastern & Arab Cinema program hosted by NewFilmmakers Los Angeles.

NFMLA’s InFocus programming celebrates diversity, inclusion and region by spotlighting communities of filmmakers within the filmmaking community as part of its monthly program. The December program showcased an array of diverse, international films by talented emerging Middle Eastern and Arab filmmakers, including the December Shorts block, InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema, and InFocus: Arab Cinema.

The December Shorts block included drama, animation, love stories, hard lessons, music videos, inspiration and deep curiosity.  

InFocus: Middle Eastern Cinema, a collection of short films from Middle Eastern filmmakers from all over the Middle East and the diaspora, included beautiful and intricate stories about deep familial bonds, memories, love, fear, grief, joy, and generational legacies.

InFocus: Arab Cinema, a selection of short films showcasing Arab storytellers from across the world, including productions from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Kingdom featured a composition of absurdism, humor, self-exploration, impossible situations and poignant moments.

NFMLA showcases films by filmmakers of all backgrounds throughout the year, across both its general and InFocus programming. All filmmakers are welcome and encouraged to submit their projects for consideration for upcoming NFMLA Festivals, regardless of the schedule for InFocus programming. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Here is more information about the filmmakers and their films.

“The Middle,” directed by Sylvia Ray 

About Slyvia: Sylvia Ray is an award-winning Chicana/Korean-American director based in Los Angeles. She was selected as a Latino Film Institute Inclusion Fellow and wrote and directed her latest short film, “The Vote” in 2024. Her feature script “The Middle” was a quarterfinalist, and its proof of concept was nominated for Best LatinX Film at the 2024 Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival. Her short film “Preggers” won Best Comedy Short at the Arizona International Film Festival. Sylvia has directed award-winning indie pilot episodes, including “Our Late Father,” “In Limbo,” and “My Human Experience,” and her short film “LEN(N)Y” streamed globally on Pantaya and DISH! Latino through the Hola Mexico’s Tomorrow Filmmakers Today fellowship. Her work is infused with fun and feminine energy, often exploring themes of empowerment, morality, and grief. Drawing inspiration from her desert-town upbringing, international travels, and experience in fashion, Sylvia is driven to positively impact BIPOC representation, both in front of and behind the camera. 

About “The Middle”: A desert teen tries to escape the consequences of a pivotal night and has to decide between telling the truth and protecting her family. 

Watch the NFMLA interview with Sylvia Ray the director of “The Middle”: 

“Superman Doesn’t Steal,” directed by Tamika Lamison

About Tamika: Tamika, a Virginia native, attended American and Howard Universities. Honors include the ABC Disney Writing Fellowship, Gordon Parks Indie Film Award, CBS Director’s Initiative, AFI’s Directing Workshop for Women, and being a Sundance finalist. Tamika has produced/written/directed several award-winning shorts and features and was a writer/producer on Monogamy. Tamika created the Make A Film Foundation which grants film wishes to sick children, with help from the industry. She’s a Rideback Rise (Circle) Fellow and a Shondaland directing finalist. Her Oscar-qualified short “Superman Doesn’t Steal” has been in more than 50 festivals, winning many awards, and the feature script is in the second round of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab.

About “Superman Doesn’t Steal”:During the Atlanta Child Murders, a young brother and sister fascinated by comic books experience traumatic events which cause them to question the meaning of heroes, villains, Superman and themselves.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Tamika Lamison, the director of “Superman Doesn’t Steal”:

“Gelato” directed by Iga Lis 

About Iga: Upon receiving a bachelor’s degree in History from the London School of Economics in 2021, Iga channeled her social initiatives into her film work. She wrote and directed short films on environmental topics for Google and Greenpeace. She is also the co-founder of Olsnienie.eu and Przebudzenie, projects aimed at increasing voter turnout among the Polish youth. Her projects range from experimental short films and music videos to documentaries and creative shorts. Age and the stages of human life are concepts at the heart of her work, reflected in her new short film “In My Day” and documentary feature film “Baltic.”

About “Gelato”: A tribute to unmistakably Polish seaside folklore, early 2000s nostalgia, and our romanticized memories of childhood bliss.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Iga Lis, the director of “Gelato”:

“Fariha,” directed by Negine Jasmine Sekandari

About Negine: Negine Jasmine Sekandari is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer based in Los Angeles. Her Afghan ancestral roots inspire her storytelling to blend humor, romance, and cultural depth. Negine’s recent ventures include acting and comedy, with appearances in music videos and a short film by Ramadan America. In 2023, she debuted her hourlong comedy set, “Did You Mean Engine?,” at the Elysian Theater’s Spaghetti Festival. In 2022, she co-curated a film festival in Los Angeles, debuting “Fariha,” a short film exploring her relationship with her grandmother. 

About “Fariha”: Fariha is about an Afghan grandmother answering her granddaughter’s questions about love, joy and Afghanistan.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Negine Jasmine Sekandari the director of “Fariha”:

“I Know Him So Well,” directed by Chance Calloway

About Chance: Chance Sion-Raize Calloway is an award-winning creator, writer, and director celebrated for championing inclusive storytelling. Raised in Georgia and based in Los Angeles, he gained acclaim with Pretty Dudes, an intersectional web series that has expanded into other media. Calloway’s work spans short films, series, books, and anthologies, all challenging societal norms and pushing creative boundaries. With a background in theater and a commitment to impactful narratives, Calloway advocates for inclusive storytelling and visibility, prioritizing impact over optics.

About “I Know Him So Well”: A chronicle of queer teenage love. Sensitive Rafi meets and begins a relationship with charming athlete Cal.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Chance Calloway, the director of “I Know Him So Well”:

“Echoes of Pomegranate” directed by Alex Bijan Zandi 

About Alex: Alex Bijan Zandi is an Iranian-American filmmaker and artist based in Brooklyn. His work explores the social challenges and enchantments of the Middle Eastern diaspora. Zandi’s films have been screened at film festivals globally, including Montclair, Maryland, Brooklyn, and Amsterdam (Best Experimental Film). He is a 2023-2025 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, a 2024 BendFilm: Basecamp Fellow, and was part of the 2022 Reykjavík Film Festival Talent Lab. Zandi obtained an MFA at Bard College, where he received the Video Fellowship, and a BA at Washington University in St. Louis, where he was awarded the Howard Nemerov Prize for Poetry.

About “Echoes of Pomegranate”: An Iranian-American family’s country road trip transforms into a pulsating journey of revolutionary and archival wonder.

Watch the NFMLA interview with Alex Bijan Zandi the director of “Echoes of Pomegranate”:

Main photo: “Fariha,” courtesy of NFMLA