This time, the Rawy film collective presents a short films programme that plunges into the chaotic in-between spaces where individual lives are trapped by forces far beyond their control.

This time, the Rawy film collective presents a short films programme that plunges into the chaotic in-between spaces where individual lives are trapped by forces far beyond their control.

Caught in Crossfire opens up with 1 + 1, a haunting dystopian exploration of two survivors from opposing factions forced to navigate the razor-thin line between the instinct for war and the desperate need for peace. This systemic pressure tightens in The Steak, where a private birthday celebration is violently intercepted by a catastrophic event, and in Transit, as a hospital clerk finds his psyche caught between his bureaucratic duty to the dead and a growing, suffocating paranoia triggered by a mysterious caller. The curation then shifts to those who stand in the line of fire to bear witness; the documentary Shattered Memory honors photojournalist Mahfouz Abu Turk, who placed his body on the frontlines to archive the history of a city under siege during the intifada. Collectively, these films serve as a testament to the endurance of identity, offering a powerful glimpse into the strength required to protect one’s humanity—and provide a reprieve for the next generation—while caught in the crossfire of history.

1 + 1

Alaa Mahmoud, Egypt 2022, 13 mins. Fiction, Arabic with English subtitles

The Steak

Kiarash Dadgar, Iran 2023, 8 mins. No Dialogue

Shattered Memory

Hayat Laban, Palestine 2023, 15 mins. Documentary, Arabic with English subtitles

Transit

Baqer Al-Rubaie, Iraq 2023, 16 mins. Fiction, Arabic with English subtitles