Cinema Akil transforms into Cinemajlis for Ramadan

The venue will offer iftars, entertainment, talks and films during the holy month

South Asian comfort food will be served at Cinemajlis. Courtesy Cinema Akil

Cinema Akil and Project Chaiwala are celebrating Ramadan by turning the Al Quoz indie cinema into "Cine­majlis" for the month. South Asian comfort food will be served for iftar, while there will also be pre-shows featuring a variety of games, talks and open mic performances hosted by Blank Space.

Performers will include oud-qanun-piano sibling trio De3bal and singer-­songwriter Haranero, who will be on stage every Monday night, while on Saturday nights there will be poetry and singing with Eve and Kyle. Other performers include Jindi, who will take you back to the rhythm of 1980s soul, funk and R&B with his musical energy, and Basel Oud, who will bring a sense of nostalgia to your evenings during Ramadan.

Pre-shows will be followed by films screened at 9pm and 11pm on weekdays, as well as pre-iftar screenings at 3pm on weekends. The cinema's Ramadan schedule will also focus on award-winning Arab films. Highlights include the Saudi documentary The Poetess (2017), a story based on self-made poetess Hissa Hilal, the first Saudi woman to become a finalist on the Abu Dhabi TV show Million's Poet.

Another film that will be screened is The Journey by Mohamed Al Daradji, the first film to be released commercially in Iraq in 27 years and the country's selection for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars last year. It's inspired by the story of a female suicide bomber who had second thoughts about what she was doing.

Ahmad Abdallah's Ext. Night, which had its premiere in the 2018 Tiff Contemporary World Cinema section, is a touching satire tackling societal issues in Egypt, will also be screened.

Ciemajlis will mark Nakba Day on Wednesday with the first public screenings of Julia Bacha's Naila and the Uprising since it premiered in 2017 at the Dubai International Film Festival. The movie explores the role of women in the first intifada by following the story of Palestinian activist Naila Ayesh. On Nakba Day itself, the cinema will also host a special series of four shorts in collaboration with Reel Palestine.

Cinemajlis will be running throughout Ramadan. For up to date listings and prices, visit www.cinemaakil.com