An arty film festival is making its Dubai debut this month

This global film festival is marking its Middle East debut at Cinema Akil.

Film buffs, mark your calendars because an exciting film festival is coming to Dubai.

Cinema Akil has teamed up with the Italian Cultural Institute Abu Dhabi, Cineteca di Bologna, and Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project for a week-long film festival. Taking place from 15 to 21 September, Il Cinema Ritrovato on Tour gives you the opportunity to enjoy Italian classics without having to hop on a flight.

As part of Il Cinema Ritrovato on Tour, seven heritage films will be screened, with each having been digitally restored by Cineteca di Bologna. These cinematic gems span from Italian neorealism to captivating stories from Angla, India, Iran and Morocco. Here’s the complete lineup for your perusal:

Al Hal (Transes)

Step into the 1970s with this film, as it showcases the Moroccan band Nass El Ghiwane during their electrifying live performances. The film explores traditional social themes and contemporary subjects through songs. It’s like a journey through history and music.

Assunta Spina

This silent masterpiece is considered the ancestor of neorealism. It follows a laundress from Naples who’s determined to save her fiance from going to jail, even after he slashed her face in a fit of rage.

Chess of the Wind

Prepare to be intrigued by this mysterious murder tale. After the head of the house, Khanom Bozorg, passes away, the tension between the remaining rises. Next in line is Khanom Kouchak, where paralysis leads to a tiff with the maid, the nanny, and her stepfather’s nephews for the family fortune.

River called Titas

Travel back in time to pre-Partition East Bengal and meet Kishore, a fisherman who marries Basanti from a neighbouring village. After a strange night and a river-side kidnapping, Basanti returns with amnesia. She remembers her husband’s village but not his name or face. Ten years later, she embarks on a journey with her son to find him.

Sambizanga

Directed by the trailblazing Sarah Maldoror, one of Africa’s first female directors, Sambizanga follows the on-set of the 1961 Angolan War of Independence. The film shows the struggles of Angolan militants involved with the anti-colonial political movement at the time.

Sciuscia (Shoeshine)

This timeless classic by director Vittorio De Sica follows the lives of two shoeshine boys in post-war Italy. The film won the first-ever Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 1946.

Signore e Signori

Get ready to laugh as Signore e Signori dives into life in a little Italian town. It’s all about a bunch of middle-upper-class traders and professionals who seem all proper and fancy. But they’re actually hiding a bunch of secrets and backstabbing each other.

With a wide selection of films on display, Il Cinema Ritrovato on Tour is promising to wow film enthusiasts in Dubai. So mark your calendars and head over to Cinema Akil for a cinematic journey like no other.

GO: Visit https://cinemaakil.com for more information.