The theme for this year's Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival takes inspiration from the holy Quran’s Surah Al An'am. All living beings roaming the earth and winged birds soaring in the sky are communities like yourselves (Quran 6:38).

This year's festival seeks expressions of community between all living beings. Our films revere and appreciate many communities while asking the right questions so we not only survive climate change, but thrive together. The immense world of creatures allows our inner and outer lenses to explore new and elusive regions of our minds and hearts. The festival aims to forge communities that see, hear, and feel the planet in new perspectives. And, perhaps, as the Surah guides us, all living beings that fly and walk the earth will reciprocate with more compassion and insight.

From classic films of renowned directors Ken Loach (UK) and John Abraham (India) to films from all over the world, we ask simply, how can we learn from all living beings? We highlight environmental film collectives such as UAE’s Climate Tribe, Rural Encounters from Lebanon, and others from Palestine and Japan in this year’s edition. We also seek elusive communities of being that we seldom think about.