I Say Dust

+Paired with Feature
+US

Director: Darine Hatait
Narrative short, experimental, 14 mins, 2015
Country: US, Palestine
Language: English
Minnesota premiere

Hal (Alyan), an Arab-American poet belonging to the Palestinian diaspora in New York City, meets Moun (Akl), a free-spirited chess sales girl. Their brief love affair challenges their understanding of what makes home. (Alyan’s poetry has been published in Mizna: Prose, Poetry and Art)

Darine Hotait is an American Lebanese writer and film director. She was born in Beirut in the midst of civil war. Her family emigrated to the United States of America when she was 11 years old. At that time, Darine discovered her love for writing. She started writing her diaries and poetry at her grandmother’s home in Detroit. The writings revolved around the concept of readapting to a new home and defining family.

Festivals:
Cinewest – Women Media & Arts Film Festival, Australia, 2015
Herat International Women Film Festival, Afghanistan, 2015
Montecatini International Short Film Festival, Italy, 2015
Homochrom Film Festival, Germany, 2015
International Diaspora Film Festival, Canada, 2015
Braunschweig International Film Festival, Germany, 2015
Latin Arab International Film Festival, Argentina, 2015

Awards:
Winner, Best Short Fiction Jury Special Award, Women Media & Arts Film Festival, 2015
Winner, Best Short Fiction, Herat International Women Film Festival, 2015