Rolla Selbak (رولا سلباق)

The Visitor is a Palestinian folk horror film in development, written and directed by Rolla Selbak. The lurking theme is that life under an occupation is just as sinister as the monsters in our folktales. It tells the story of Kareem, a young man living in Jerusalem, who has to save his family when an entity from his grandmother’s folktales threatens his neighborhood, and erases the memories of everyone he loves. The above video is the visual concept for the film, directed by @rollaselbak in collaboration with AI video artist @seifabdalla_films . The film is not yet shot. We are currently in the development stage of assembling the team, location scouting, and casting the lead roles. And here is where YOU come in. We are looking for donors, investors and partners to be a big part of making this film happen. Join us in bringing the film revolution to the world cinema stage. To find out more about the film: 🎬 Go to: 📩 Email us at: [email protected] This is more than a film — it’s a statement of resistance, resilience, and artistic power. We’re creating a bold, independent Palestinian film outside the Hollywood studio system, so we can tell the story — without compromise, without censorship. Meet The Visitor Team: Producers: * Black Poppy Productions @blackpoppyproductions * Julie Bersani @jbersani * Ahmed Shihab-Eldin @ahmedeldin * Myriam Francois @myzfrancois * Emily Debinie @emily_debinie Writer & Director: @rollaselbak

What we will never lose, let me tell you about my people — compiled from videos that have inspired me to express why I keep my head high. #palestine #gaza #freepalestine

Due to security concerns (because of the other march/rally) I couldn't photograph the whole march today, but I did pop down for 30 mins before it started and took a few cheeky shots of the empaths. ❤️‍🩹✊🏾 #nakbamarch

We are excited to have filmmaker, Rolla Selbak on MEIF this Sunday. Rolla's recent pilot, CHOKE, was a winner of The Black List (Muslim List). Based on her award winning short film of the same name, it tells the story of a Syrian refugee of who dreams of becoming an MMA champion. Her other notable credits include co-producing the Sundance 2017 short film AMERICAN PARADISE, which served as the predecessor for the Sundance feature film LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO, and helming the internationally acclaimed feature film THREE VEILS, a first of its kind to confront homosexuality within the Muslim-American subculture. She has previously served on the board of directors at OUTFEST, and the SAN FRANCISCO WOMEN’S FILM INSTITUTE, where she was involved in initiatives specifically geared towards nurturing a new generation of filmmakers.

May 15, Nakba Day, marks the day that British colonial forces officially withdrew from Palestine after three decades of violent occupation—only to hand it over to an even more brutal occupier. During the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” of 1948, 75% of all Palestinians were driven from their homes and exiled from their lands by occupying Zionist paramilitary forces. Thousands were massacred. Others were forced into concentration and labor camps. But the Nakba didn’t end. Palestinians continue to be denied the right of return to their land. The occupation enforces its domination through apartheid, siege and starvation, and continues its expansion through land theft and genocide. The denial and distortion of the Nakba is foundational to Israel’s identity, and its ability to propagandize and “sell” its continued illegal occupation and ongoing crimes against humanity. Cinema has become not only a tool of processing Palestinian trauma, but a battleground to resist the erasure of the past—and of a Palestinian future. Today, we launch our EL4P Film Picks series by highlighting 7 films that reclaim the 1948 narrative.

Wow wow wow @thetinypod258 Thank you

Something started way before 1948, yet this post is not purely about history, this is still ongoing but we can create change for the future now💔. For the right to return, for a free Pa|estine ❤️ Illustration from 2024

Hollywood powers have sought to make an example of Melissa Barrera for her Palestine support, for nothing more than social media posts condemning the genocide and sharing fundraising links—in other words, the bare minimum response to a live-streamed genocide. (Her firing from Scream 7 ignited the EL4P-led Boycott Scream 7 campaign, which successfully pushed back with a PR nightmare for Paramount-Skydance and the Scream franchise.) ‘The optimistic side of me was like, ‘Fuck no. I’m sure the tide will turn.’ And it has. But because I was one of the first to speak up, to this day there are still a lot of people in the industry who have a personal grudge against me.” But Barrera hasn’t back-tracked an inch, or given up. And she’s taking names. “I kept track of the people who vocally came out and said something to defend me at the time (…) I do believe in building a network of people who are like-minded.” That network, apparently, will be the foundation of Barrera’s new production company. THIS is solidarity at work. It’s up to us to create the world we want to see. [Quote courtesy of Variety Magazine]

Thank you @middleeasteye @newscord_org

What is it about Misan that the legacy media fear, and that has the whole world behind him? We got this, LET’S PUSH TO 100,000. So easy to send your complaint to the UK IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation), no matter where you are in the world, by using the @newscord_org action campaign. 🔗 /action/telegraph-harriman-smear Just enter in your name and email, and the website will do the rest. We love you @misanharriman we are with you all the way inshallah! ❤️‍🔥✌️

Shame on you how can you lie!!

"Chinga la migra – of course. We should all say it. But if you only say that… I don't believe you." Filmmaker @rollaselbak on the difference between selective courage and the real thing. No half-measures, no curated dissent. Hear her live tomorrow at Sumud: A Night of Palestinian Solidarity – with Dr. Ramzy Baroud, Amer Zahr, Chris Smalls, Nidal Rafeedie, Fatin Judeh, Dr. Jaiya John, and more. 🌹 First Congregational of LA, 540 S Commonwealth 🌹 Doors 2:30 / Program 4:00 🌹 RSVP: kpfk.org/sumud Clip from this week's @radiointifada with host Rana Sharif. Saturdays 12pm on KPFK.org. #StandUpOrShutUp #Sumud #KPFK #RadioIntifada #Solidarity