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A Look Into This Year’s Arab Film Festival ‘ALFILM’ in Berlin

The 16th Arab Film Festival Berlin (ALFILM) casts a daring gaze into the past and future with its spotlight on "Canceled Futures, Endless Pasts"—a theme that unearths archival ghosts and imagines alternative realities through speculative fiction. With a compelling lineup that includes To a Land Unknown and The Village Next to Paradise, this year’s festival bridges personal memory and political struggle, offering cinematic stories from across the Arab world that challenge dominant narratives and invite audiences to rethink what could have been.

Amany Hassan @

Mind, Body, Language: How the Book “A Woman is a School” Rewrites Rebellion

Language is power. In the month of International Women’s Day, we celebrate the voices that speak for intersectional feminism and sacred rebellion. Céline Semaan’s “A Woman is a School”, published by The Slow Factory, reclaims language and the body as sacred vessels for eco-liberation and justice. Her words call us to action: it's time to stand together in solidarity for justice and collective healing. A reminder of the power of language to emancipate us in times of struggle. None of us is free, until all of us are free.

Luïza Luz @

Sudanese Symbolism: Artist Tasneem Elnayal on Collective Grief and Change

Tasneem Elnayal’s artistic practice is rooted in our shared histories and the visceral nature of personal experience. In this conversation, the London-based Sudanese artist and art director explores the influence of Sudan's political landscape, her journey through grief and hope, and the power of memory in creating space for new experiences.

Amany Hassan @

Is Art Exclusively for the Rich?

Art is often seen as a universal language—but is it really accessible to everyone? Still perceived as a playground for the wealthy, the art world continues to exclude marginalized communities. From street art to institutional shifts, how can we reclaim space and open the conversation?

Hilal Külec @

How Cultural Appropriation is Irrelevant to Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has long been praised for his bold storytelling, but his approach to Black narratives raises important questions about cultural appropriation and blaxploitation in white cinema. While his films often feature diverse casts, the depth of his Black characters remains limited, catering to a broad audience rather than authentically representing Black experiences. His frequent use of racial slurs and reliance on shock value spark controversy, yet his dismissive response to criticism is even more troubling. This article explores how Tarantino profits from marginalized cultures while avoiding accountability, urging audiences to critically engage with the media they consume.

Jasmin Kraenzel @
A still from The Village Next to Paradise showing a man in a brown cap and blue jacket sitting beside a young boy wearing a box with eyeholes on his head, against a bare wall.

A Look Into This Year’s Arab Film Festival ‘ALFILM’ in Berlin

The 16th Arab Film Festival Berlin (ALFILM) casts a daring gaze into the past and future with its spotlight on "Canceled Futures, Endless Pasts"—a theme that unearths archival ghosts and imagines alternative realities through speculative fiction. With a compelling lineup that includes To a Land Unknown and The Village Next to Paradise, this year’s festival bridges personal memory and political struggle, offering cinematic stories from across the Arab world that challenge dominant narratives and invite audiences to rethink what could have been.

Amany Hassan
In the month of International Women’s Day, we celebrate the voices that speak for intersectional feminism and sacred rebellion. Céline Semaan’s “A Woman is a School”, published by The Slow Factory, calls us to reclaim our bodies, our stories, and our collective wisdom. A reminder of the power of language to emancipate us in times of struggle.

Mind, Body, Language: How the Book “A Woman is a School” Rewrites Rebellion

Language is power. In the month of International Women’s Day, we celebrate the voices that speak for intersectional feminism and sacred rebellion. Céline Semaan’s “A Woman is a School”, published by The Slow Factory, reclaims language and the body as sacred vessels for eco-liberation and justice. Her words call us to action: it's time to stand together in solidarity for justice and collective healing. A reminder of the power of language to emancipate us in times of struggle. None of us is free, until all of us are free.

Luïza Luz
Calvin Candie, holding a cigarette holder, confronts Django in an intense standoff inside an opulent room.

How Cultural Appropriation is Irrelevant to Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino has long been praised for his bold storytelling, but his approach to Black narratives raises important questions about cultural appropriation and blaxploitation in white cinema. While his films often feature diverse casts, the depth of his Black characters remains limited, catering to a broad audience rather than authentically representing Black experiences. His frequent use of racial slurs and reliance on shock value spark controversy, yet his dismissive response to criticism is even more troubling. This article explores how Tarantino profits from marginalized cultures while avoiding accountability, urging audiences to critically engage with the media they consume.

Jasmin Kraenzel
Balanced & Bold: Tijan Marei On Acting, Representation and Self-Care

Balanced & Bold: Tijan Marei On Acting, Representation and Self-Care

For our latest digital cover, we sat down with Berlin-born actress Tijan Marei. In our conversation, Marei reflects on the evolving landscape of the film industry—where wellness is replacing outdated notions of “cool”, women are claiming their space in more complex roles, and setting boundaries is an essential part of the job. Beyond the screen, she’s also a certified yoga and breathwork instructor, teaching a class called AntiDote—a practice she says has been life-changing. "I find life more beautiful when I add a little magic to it," she tells TITLE Mag. "We all create our realities together."

Sinah Griessler

From ‘Big Mama’ Thornton to Elvis: The Erasure and Exploitation of Black Talent

Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton had the voice, the power, and the presence to command any stage - but history didn’t give her the recognition she deserved. She sang Hound Dog before Elvis and wrote Ball and Chain before Janis Joplin, yet others profited from her work. Her story is one of many, reflecting a music industry that thrives on Black creativity while denying Black artists their due.

Amany Hassan
Anna Kalinskaya and Jannik Sinner – why do we still blame the girlfriend?

What the online vitriol towards Anna Kalinskaya says about parasocial relationships and social norms

Tennis player Anna Kalinskaya recently became the target of online scrutiny due to her relationship with fellow athlete Jannik Sinner. This kind of backlash is far from unheard of. Famous women often find themselves at the center of parasocial-relationship-fuelled online debates because of their relationships with other celebrities. Yet this phenomenon exemplifies how, in a world obsessed with romance and dating, women in heterosexual relationships still can’t escape societal norms and expectations of how a girlfriend or wife “should” act.

Roberta Fabbrocino