The Shadow of the Tree is a film festival that presents works by artists originating from the Mediterranean MENA region (Middle-East / North Africa). The title refers to a verse by the Lebanese poet Bassam Hajar which evokes, in a circular epigram, concepts of displacement and disappearance by referring to the metaphor of the tree, a central element of the geological and cultural topography of the region, where cypresses and olive trees represent the meaning of rooting and exile.

Presented in the Sala Madre, the exhibition develops over the course of eight weeks through monographic and co-curated programs that bring together over forty works of moving images, from feature films to videos and from documentaries to music. Divided into six programmes, the series alternates three retrospective screenings by Basma al-Sharif, Valentin Noujaïm and Sara Sadik and three co-curated programs imagined by Martha Kirszenbaum together with Myriam Ben Salah, Stella Bottai and Asma Barchiche.

The selected works delve into a historical and political reflection on the MENA region, contemplating a plurality of representations, approaches and imaginary worlds in times of fragmented equilibrium. At the same time, I intend to expand the visual and cultural heritage of the region through the use of video and new technologies.