About the festival: the organization

All human beings are members of one frame,
Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
When time afflicts a limb with pain
The other limbs at rest cannot remain.
If thou feel not for other’s misery
A human being is no name for thee.

Inspired by this poem by Saadi Shirazi, festival director Mohammad Amin opted for the connecting theme of intimacy this year; the connection and connection with each other in the broad sense of the word.

"Look into my eyes, without this there is no dialogue, without dialogue there is no relationship" that is the thought of the great philosopher Emmanuel Levinas. And with the contact comes the moral responsibility for each other, says Levinas. I recognize myself in this thought and also call it my philosophy. I am also concerned about current events at the moment. How can we feel our responsibility for each other and make a real connection when everyone lives in isolation in their own home? Humans are social creatures and we need contact. That's why I wanted to explore the topic of intimacy. How do we process our situation in the art expressions, the films that are now being made? By intimacy I mean the essential contact with the other, in romantic relationships and in families, but also from person to person, in friendship and even at work.

Take a look at all the films he has collected.

Salah Niazi as honorary president of the MENA Film Festival in The Hague

The organizing administration of The Hague International Film Festival (MENA) announced the selection of the Iraqi poet and translator Salah Niazi as honorary president of the fourth session, to be held from 20 to 22 May, due to his great standing and his creative career in the fields of poetry, translation and radio television work.
The director of the festival, the Iraqi poet Muhammad Al-Amin said: Niazi, in addition to his distinguished position in Iraqi and Arab poetry, and his contribution to enriching the library by translating dozens of valuable literary works, and in addition to his important role in cultural life in the diaspora through the publication of the literary alienation magazine for 17 years, he left the Iraqi poet Professor Salah Niazi has a deep imprint in radio and television work through his long career on Iraqi radio and television and his rich experience as a cultural editor at BBC Radio, and his important role in translating and dubbing dozens of documentaries that served as a basic tributary for filmmakers in Iraq and lovers of the seventh art cannot be overlooked.

Algerian critic and film director He has written a number of books in the field of cinema and guides the workshops and conferences at the International Arab Film Festival, Oran, Algeria 2018.

Belgian-Maroccan writer and director.
Filmography:
"Alkadia f taguia" korte film 2015: regisseur
"Toffaha" korte film 2017: regisseur

"Boukhancha" korte film 2018: regisseur
Korte film "Child of Love" 2020: regisseur

Korte film "La Souricière" 2021: regisseur

Publications:
"Haddatani almaa / the water told me" poetic collection
"Bruxelles la marocaine" Co-author.

Jessica is projectleider Wijkcultuur en Community Art bij Laaktheater en spoken word artist.

Head of audience affairs, communication and marketing at Laaktheater. Responsible for the website Laaktheater Thuis.

As a journalist specialized in the technical aspects of filmmaking, she participated in the jury of a number of Film Festivals in Switzerland, Morocco and the Netherlands. She has garnered a lot of media attention for famous film festivals such as Cannes, the Marrakech International Film Festival and the Milan Festival. She has lived in the Netherlands since 2019.