Babar The Movie

Cinema Under the Stars - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Young elephant prince Babar faces a great challenge when his peaceful kingdom, Celesteville, is threatened by the scheming rhino leader, Rataxes. With courage and the support of his companions, Babar must find a way to protect his home and bring his community together. Filled with adventure, friendship, and bravery, this animated classic captures Babar’s journey from a young leader to a beloved hero, embodying themes of resilience and unity in the face of danger.

Alan Bunce / Canada, France / Feature Narrative

Block 5

Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Alma, a 12-year-old girl, moves to a new neighbourhood where her classmate Luna leads a skate gang. The two are bitter rivals until Alma discovers that her father’s company plans to destroy their local playground. Forced to unite with Luna and her gang, Alma sets out to save the cherished green space from being replaced by a parking lot. ‘Block 5’ is a heartfelt story about friendship, community, and fighting for what you believe in.

Klemen Dvornik / Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Serbia / Feature Narrative

Diplodocus

Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

In a vibrant, comic book-inspired world, Diplodocus, a curious young dinosaur, embarks on a journey to find his missing parents. Guided by newfound friends—a quirky wizard, a zany professor, and a bold pilot—he discovers the incredible truth: they are characters in a comic drawn by the struggling artist Ted. As they journey across imaginative realms, Diplodocus learns the power of believing in oneself, and Ted rediscovers his creative spirit.

Wojtek Wawszcyk / Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, The / Feature Narrative

Flow

Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

In a world ravaged by a great flood, a solitary cat must seek refuge on a boat with other animals. As they sail through mystical, flooded landscapes, the animals—despite their differences—must work together to survive. This visually striking animation follows their journey through danger and discovery, capturing the tension between isolation and collaboration in a world on the brink of collapse. A stunning, dialogue-free experience, the film explores themes of survival, community, and adaptation in a post-catastrophic world.

Gints Zilbalodis / Belgium, Latvia, France / Feature Narrative

Hansel and Gretel

Cinema by the Sea - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Brother and sister Hansel and Gretel are sent to gather berries after upsetting their struggling mother by wasting food. Lost in the woods, they discover a magical gingerbread cottage and are welcomed by a seemingly kind old woman named Griselda. However, Griselda reveals her true identity as a witch and imprisons the children with plans to eat them. The siblings must rely on their wits to escape.

Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland

Cinema by the Sea - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Young Nemo journeys into the magical realm of Slumberland each night, befriending King Morpheus and exploring wondrous landscapes. However, when Nemo opens a forbidden door, he accidentally releases the Nightmare King, plunging Slumberland into darkness. With the kingdom at risk, Nemo must rally his friends and enter Nightmare Land to save the king and restore peace. An animated fantasy, Little Nemo celebrates imagination, friendship, and courage in the face of fear.

Masami Hata, Masanori Hata, William T. Hurtz / Japan, United States of America / Feature Narrative

Meeting with Pol Pot

Special Screening - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia) - 1978. Three French journalists are invited by the Khmer Rouge to conduct an exclusive interview of the regime’s leader, Pol Pot. The country seems ideal. But behind the Potemkin village, the Khmer Rouge regime is declining, and the war with Vietnam threatens to invade the country. The regime is looking for culprits, secretly carrying out a large-scale genocide. Under the eyes of the journalists, the beautiful picture cracks, revealing the horror. Their journey progressively turns into a nightmare.

Rithy Panh / Cambodia, France, Turkey, Taiwan, Qatar / Feature Narrative

The Story of Souleymane

Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

In just two days, Souleymane, a young Guinean immigrant, must prepare for an asylum interview that could change his life, all while working as a bicycle courier through the streets of Paris. As he navigates a city both vibrant and indifferent, he encounters countless obstacles—from police scrutiny to social isolation—revealing the immense challenges faced by those who live in the shadows. Through his journey, we witness a powerful story of resilience and the enduring hope for a better future.

Boris Lojkine / France / Feature Narrative

Thank You For Banking With Us!

Ajyal Competition - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

After their father’s death, two sisters, Mariam and Noura, devise a scheme to claim his substantial inheritance before their estranged brother, who is entitled to half, finds out. Set in Ramallah, the story follows their desperate, comedic efforts to circumvent patriarchal inheritance laws while dealing with personal crises. As their plan unravels, the sisters rediscover their bond, confronting gender discrimination, family obligations, and the limits of societal expectations.

Laila Abbas / Palestine, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt / Feature Narrative

The Borrowers

Cinema Under the Stars - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

The tiny, resourceful Clock family secretly lives within the walls of the Lender household, “borrowing” small items to survive. Their hidden life is disrupted when corrupt lawyer Ocious P. Potter seizes control of the house, intending to demolish it for profit. Teaming up with the Lenders, the Clocks must devise a clever plan to thwart Potter, reclaim the home, and preserve their secret world in this heartwarming tale of resilience and teamwork.

Peter Hewitt / United Kingdom, United States of America / Feature Narrative

The Secret of NIMH

Cinema Under the Stars - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Widowed mouse Mrs. Brisby faces a desperate challenge when her family must move before the farmer’s plough arrives—but her youngest son is too ill to travel. Seeking help, she turns to a group of mysterious rats who possess remarkable intelligence due to past experiments. With the aid of the wise elder Nicodemus, Mrs. Brisby finds herself entangled in the rats' internal struggles, risking everything to save her family.

Don Bluth / United States of America / Feature Narrative

A Troll in Central Park

Special Screening | Cinema by the Sea - Ajyal Film Festival 2024

Gentle troll Stanley, gifted with the power to grow plants, is banished from his dark kingdom and finds himself in New York’s Central Park. There, he befriends young siblings Gus and Rosie. However, the mean Gnorga, determined to ruin Stanley’s happiness, follows him, threatening both his life and the children’s. Together, they must find a way to overcome Gnorga’s menacing plans and protect their newfound friendship.

Don Bluth, Gary Goldman / United States of America / Feature Narrative