Mizna Arab Film Festival 2023: Fragments from Heaven

 

Several large meteor showers have hit the Moroccan desert, making its arid lands rich with celestial stones. Fragments from Heaven tells the story of Mohamed, a nomad in his fifties who lives in a tent with his family in a remote area of the eastern Moroccan desert. To provide a better life for his family, Mohamed embarks on a search for the meteorite fragments. But he is not the only one looking for the celestial stones. This story is also that of Abderrahmane, a scientist who relies on the meteorite fragments to pursue his research on the origins of Earth and life on this planet.

 

While one explorer is grounded to the earth, the other looks to the sky. One tries to survive in the hostility of the unchanging desert, the other attempts to understand how the Earth manages to survive in the cosmos. Mohamed’s and Abderrahmane’s archeological quests merge into a spiritual journey, which echoes the experiences of many. While the nomad, the scientist, and Bedouins all look for the stones, they can’t imagine that these pursuits would lead them far beyond a simple hunt. The stones hide the fragments of human complexity, which slowly get revealed through the quests of these men.

 

 

 

Mizna promotes contemporary art, writing, and film in critical dialogue with the Arab & Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) region and its communities. They publish the literary journal Mizna: SWANA Literature + Art, produce the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival, and support an exceptionally talented and diverse range of local, national, and international artists.

 

Mizna’s 17th Arab Film Festival runs September 27–October 1, 2023, with most showings at the Main Cinema in Minneapolis. Select titles will be available to watch online through their website.