Florida State University’s Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics and the FSU Middle East Center will host the 12th annual Middle East Film Festival, showcasing films that represent perspectives rarely seen in mainstream media.
The festival, which runs from Feb. 21 through March 21, is sponsored by the Middle East Center and the Student Life Cinema and features five films over the course of five Sundays.
“Our selection offers cultural insight that will help our viewers understand a very complex, yet ancient, collection of societies,” said Zeina Schlenoff, director of the Middle East Center. “We hope that the films become a subject of discussion among our viewers and stimulate their reflection on many themes that may be unfamiliar to them.”
The festival’s prestige and long history in Tallahassee make it a high point in Modern Languages and Linguistics’ annual outreach, said department chair Reinier Leushuis.
“In bringing together a wide range of films from different parts of the Middle East, this festival celebrates the region’s rich cultural and linguistic diversity,” he said. “The festival provides a unique opportunity for multicultural exposure and global engagement to students both within our department and the Middle Eastern Studies Program, as well as campus-wide.”
FSU’s commitment to providing students and faculty with meaningful international engagement opportunities and nurturing a rich, multicultural environment on campus are key components of the university’s overall academic success.
“The Middle East Film Festival is a great way to promote the campus’s rich cultural diversity,” said Sam Huckaba, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “I am pleased to support it and appreciate the value it adds to our academic mission.”
All events are free and open to the public, though a one-time registration is required. Register to receive links and sign-in information for each of the virtual screenings.
To register for these events, visit https://fla.st/3jPstqX
