December 2025 - Part 1

Thur Dec 4th. 1-5pm
United Nations, Midtown

The Venice Silver Lion–winning film blends real recordings and reenactments to recount the death of Hind Rajab and the rescuers who tried to reach her (1-3pm) A discussion with director Kaouther Ben Hania will follow, streamed on UN Web TV (3-5pm). Such an important movie and don’t worry if you cant make it, there will be more screenings soon.

Dec 4-6th
Multiple locations and times

Yalla Parkour follows filmmaker Areeb as she reconnects with Gaza through Ahmad, a Parkour athlete she met after her mother’s passing. Together they explore Gaza’s devastated landscape, its spirit of resilience, and the painful contrasts between life in Palestine and the diaspora. Ahmad’s journey from Gaza to Sweden, and his eventual return a decade later, mirrors Areeb’s own struggle with memory, loss, and belonging.

Thur Dec 4th, 8-10pm
Littlefield, Gowanus

Venture into the jungle with hosts Abby Govindan and Ibhan Kulkarni as they bring you a stacked lineup of nationally and internationally acclaimed comedians including Ismael Lotfi and Malik Elassal.

Fri Dec 5th, 6-10pm
Flushing Town Hall, Queens

This is a mini-festival mapping sound exchange along the Silk Road, bringing together SWANA and Asian string and percussion traditions across 3 short performance sets, followed by a collaborative global jam. The night closes with an open dance floor by Yalla! Party Project, blending North African, Arabic pop, South Asian, Afro, and global diasporic beats. Food and local vendors will be onsite throughout.

Fri Dec 5th, 3:30-5:30pm
SVA, Flatiron

A workshop exploring Syrian olive oil preservation and fermentation as cultural practice. Co-hosted by SVA, Grey Area Collective, and Lammeh, it traces how families preserved olives, herbs, and vegetables to carry nourishment through winter.

Fri Dec 5th at 10pm
Union Hall, Park Slope

“Heavenly Baba” is a one man show that tells the story of Ismael Loutfi’s father, and his attempt to convert the state of Florida to Islam. Two years in the making, “Heavenly Baba” have been getting some great traction.

Fri Dec 5-11th
Film Forum, Greenwich Village

Set in Haifa, the film follows 4 members of an Arab family, each carrying a private secret that challenges duty, desire, and fear. Directed by Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti, the story weaves sex, money, loyalty, and personal freedom into a tense, human-centered drama that also reflects the complicated dynamics of Arab–Jewish life in contemporary Israel.

Fri Dec 5-21st at 8pm
The Brick, Williamsburg

A solo multimedia performance documenting life under military occupation. Blending live storytelling with shadow play, projections, and puppetry, it follows one family’s escape during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Beirut. Intimate and political, it reflects on survival, resistance, and collective memory, and forms part two of a trilogy on the decline of the Lebanese left.

Sat Dec 6th at 8pm
Roulette, Boreum Hill

A double bill connecting Iraqi Maqam and microtonal jazz, anchored in the first two releases on Maqām Records, Amir ElSaffar’s new label amplifying maqam music for global audiences. The program features Hamid Al-Saadi, the only living vocalist to master the full Iraqi Maqam repertoire, alongside ElSaffar’s New Quartet, joined by Greek microtonal pianist Tania Giannouli.

Sat Dec 6th at 12:30pm
Cinema Village, East Village

In the award-winning documentary, filmmaker Bassam Mortada explores the trauma and alienation resulting from his father's arrest and torture in Egypt's notorious Abo Zaabal prison in 1989. Raised by his activist mother after his father's subsequent exile, Mortada confronts the family's fractured past through archival tapes and intimate interviews, delicately weaving his personal quest for reconciliation into Egypt's turbulent political history.

Sat Dec 6th at 9pm
Elsewhere, Bushwick

Laylit is a platform and collective celebrating music and artists from the SWANA region and its diaspora. Over the last seven years their dance parties have carved out an unmatched place in North American and European nightlife. SWANA & non SWANA alike looove a Laylit party.

Sat Dec 6th at 7:30pm
National Sawdust, Williamsburg

A Palestinian American singer and songwriter with a truly incredible voice. Mona is a beauty and with immense talent. I heard Mona interpret Fairuz once, Goosebumps, every time I remember it.

Sun Dec 7th, 11am-6pm
West Village

New York City's premier SWANA and South Asian pop-up shopping experience, this vibrant market takes place in the Village and features a diverse range of vendors, from clothing and jewelry to food and more. The atmosphere is always lively and welcoming, and I always leave with a lot of wonderful goodies.

Sun Dec 7th, 12-7pm
KOTN, LES

A cool pop up is coming up to new York for just a day with fun and funky ya Albi and Habibi Market right at the Kotn LES store, they promised new merch, gifts and surprises and I believe them.

Tue Dec 9th, 6:30-8:30pm
Clinton Hill

Noor Theatre and Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre are hosting an interdisciplinary community mixer with a Dabke workshop and a communal potluck. The evening kicks off with Dabke led by YSDT’s Barges, followed by shared food and conversation. No experience needed, just bring curiosity and a dish or drink to share.

Wed Dec 10th, 7-9:30pm
Barbes, Park Slope

If you want to impress a date, take them here. The music of Tunisian composer and oudist Anouar Brahem is poetic, often wistfully meditative yet sparkling with energy. Qurb is an ensemble formed to explore his wide repertoire of compositions that are seldom heard, with musicians who all share his love of both traditional Arabic music and the expressive potential of jazz.

Thur Dec 11th at 6pm
Film Forum, Midtown

A Moroccan hybrid documentary by Asmae El Moudir that digs into family secrets and national silence. Through reconstructed scenes and personal testimony, it uncovers how the 1981 Bread Riots shaped both private memory and collective history.