MENA Film Festival 2026 — Official Opening

Organised with West Den Haag and the Syrian Community Association in the Netherlands, the official opening welcomed more than 40 people. Due to the heat, the daytime programme moved indoors to the Swingzaal. Theatre director and actor Jamal Al-Hassani and media professional Alaa Abu Shamalat joined a conversation about why social issues deserve open discussion. The programme featured poetry readings, live music by Haneen Amin and Sattar Al-Saadi, and a poetry performance workshop led by Shaalan Sharif. That evening, the festival team resumed conversations with passers-by outside Amare.