Twin Cities Arab Film Festival Opened Twentieth Edition
The annual event launched in Minneapolis, featuring a retrospective and live drag performance by filmmaker Hadi Moussally.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Cultural
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The Twin Cities Arab Film Festival has launched its twentieth edition, showcasing a diverse range of cinematic works from Southwest Asia and North Africa. The festival includes a dedicated retrospective of work by filmmaker Hadi Moussally.
Why it matters
The festival aims to highlight regional filmmaking and historical contributions while providing a platform for queer Arab identities. Hadi Moussally uses his platform to increase visibility for these marginalized perspectives through film and live performance.
The current festival marks the 20th edition of this long-running cultural event in the Twin Cities. The featured retrospective includes cinematic projects produced by Hadi Moussally since 2020.
The players
Hadi Moussally
He is a filmmaker who left Lebanon in 2005 and currently splits his time between France and Barcelona.
Salma Zahore
This is the drag queen persona performed by filmmaker Hadi Moussally to promote the visibility of queer Arab identities.
Twin Cities Arab Film Festival
This organization hosts an annual event in the Minneapolis area dedicated to cinema from Southwest Asia and North Africa.
The details
The festival features a series of film screenings and live performances designed to explore the history of filmmaking in Southwest Asia and North Africa. Filmmaker Hadi Moussally, who left Lebanon in 2005 and now resides in France and Barcelona, will perform as his drag persona, Salma Zahore.
Timeline
Hadi Moussally emigrated from Lebanon in 2005.
The retrospective features films created from 2020 to the present.
The twentieth Twin Cities Arab Film Festival opened on September 23, 2026.
The Hadi Moussally film retrospective takes place on September 25, 2026.
Hadi Moussally will host a drag event as Salma Zahore on September 26, 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The twentieth anniversary of this festival highlights the enduring success of niche cultural film events in the United States. This milestone reflects a broader trend of regional festivals serving as essential bridges for international artists and queer identity narratives.
Residents in the Minneapolis area can attend film screenings and live performances throughout the festival's run. Specific events, including the retrospective and the drag performance, offer attendees opportunities to engage directly with the artist's work.
The takeaway
This event demonstrates how independent film festivals can foster international dialogue and provide platforms for intersectional artistic expression. Local audiences can support these efforts by attending screenings that highlight diverse cultural and queer perspectives.
Further reading
Learn more about local arts and events in our Cultural section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MPR News.
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