Los Angeles Hosts the Fifth Edition of the Hollywood Arab Film Festival Honoring Riham Abdel Ghafour and Hesham Maged

Los Angeles is set to host the fifth edition of the Hollywood Arab Film Festival from April 17 to 20, 2026, in a program designed to strengthen the presence of Arab cinema on the global stage and deepen connections between Arab filmmakers and their counterparts in Hollywood.

The festival opens on April 17 with “W Lana Fel Khayal Hob,” selected as the opening film of this year’s edition. Cast members including Ahmed El Saadany and Mayan El Sayed are expected to attend, followed by a special Q and A moderated by Ayman Samaan. Written and directed by Sarah Rozik, the film also stars Omar Rozik, Afaf Mostafa, Farida Ragab, and Basant Abou Pasha, and is positioned as a work that blends imagination with a human centered treatment of contemporary themes. Festival material also shows the opening screening is scheduled at Culver Theatre in Los Angeles on April 17.

Opening Night will also feature the presentation of the Aziza Amir Award to Egyptian actress Riham Abdel Ghafour, in recognition of an artistic career that continues to resonate across generations. The festival’s own promotional material presents her appearance as one of the major highlights of this year’s edition.

The closing ceremony is set for April 20 at Culver Theatre and will include the presentation of the Artistic Excellence Award to Egyptian actor Hesham Maged, honoring a body of work that has combined popular appeal with comedy rooted in human experience. According to the festival’s announcements, “Bershama” has been selected as the closing film, followed by a live conversation featuring Hesham Maged, Riham Abdel Ghafour, and Mostafa Ghareeb before the official awards ceremony.

Information provided about the event also includes remarks attributed to festival president Michael Bakhoum, who said Hesham Maged had left a clear mark on Egyptian cinema through works that maintained a rare balance between lightness and depth, giving this year’s honor a significance that goes beyond star power alone.

This year’s program also expands its focus to emerging talent through a curated selection of student films, reflecting the festival’s effort to spotlight new voices and bold perspectives. The lineup includes “Peony” from Egypt directed by Mohamed El Qorshi, “Shoes” from Lebanon directed by Christine Walid Tannous, “Haz Awfar Al Ganna Al Qadema” from Egypt directed by Hadeer Ramadan, “Five Stars” from Egypt directed by Mohamed Bayoumi, and “Shahd” from Jordan and Egypt directed by Zaid Hassan Sbaileh.

Together, these films point to a broad thematic range, from identity and ambition to the pressures of everyday life, approached through storytelling styles that reflect the evolution of contemporary cinema. The broader program also includes “The Voice of Hind Rajab” from Tunisia directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, “Hijra” from Saudi Arabia directed by Shahad Ameen, and a book signing for “Blood in Exile” by Iraqi author Zed Kareem, signaling a festival that moves across cinema, memory, exile, and cultural dialogue.

One of the more symbolic gestures in this year’s edition is the official poster’s tribute to the late Egyptian filmmaker Daoud Abdel Sayed, one of the defining figures of Arab cinema and the director of landmark works including “El Kit Kat.” The tribute underlines the festival’s effort not only to celebrate the present moment, but also to connect younger audiences and emerging artists with the deeper legacy of Arab filmmaking.

Taken together, the fifth edition of the Hollywood Arab Film Festival presents itself as a carefully balanced cultural platform, one that honors established stars, promotes new work, creates room for emerging talent, and reinforces the place of Arab cinema within an increasingly international conversation.