Yallah! Underground

CA, CZ, ET, DE, BR, 2015, 85 min, directed by: Farid Eslam, Arabic with English subtitles

They come from Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and Israel; they play rap, rock, electronica and folk, and they all share a heightened awareness of the politics of making music. It is a dimension that hits home when they experience reprisals both symbolic and tangible. Rather than being deterred, they are even more motivated to forge ahead and turn their art into a cry for freedom. Farid Eslam met these musicians, among the Arab world’s most influential and outspoken, taking stock of a generation’s hopes and dreams - some of them alive and kicking, others in tatters amidst the uncertainties and disruptions in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Co-presented by: CROSSROADS – Festival for Documentary Film and Discourse