
Acting
Anwar Khalil is a Jordanian actor, who was born in Amman in 1953. He received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Damascus in 1975. He worked shortly in the agricultural engineering field in the United Emirates, then returned to Jordan, where he started working in television series since the mid-seventies, mostly being historical dramas like “Zanubia,” “Abel Rahman El Kawakiby” and “Harun El Rashid.” His recent cinematic works include the Cannes nominated film The Red Sea Makes Me Wanna Cry, and A Gaza Weekend which had its premiere at TIFF.

A haunted woman named Ida journeys from Germany to Jordan, to an eerie and deserted port town on the Red Sea where her partner, Ismail, recently disappeared. Wandering through desolate bars, hotels, and offices, Ida attempts to feel Ismail’s presence one last time and to say goodbye.

Israel is sealed off after the outbreak of a deadly virus and Gaza has become the safest place in the region, leaving a British journalist and his Israeli girlfriend trapped on the wrong side of the border. With no one else to turn to, they must entrust two Palestinian street merchants who promise a way out in exchange for much needed cash. What follows is a hilarious culture clash comedy-adventure as the couple desperately try everything to get back home.

Year 1936. As villages across Palestine rise against British colonial rule, Yusuf drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest. But history is relentless. With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe and some arriving with nefarious Zionist-colonial ambitions, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.

