Let’s Talk About Water Joins the 26th Arab Film Festival Rotterdam with Award-Winning Water Stories
The Rotterdam Arab Film Festival returns for its 26th edition from 10–14 June 2026, inviting audiences to discover some of the most compelling voices in contemporary Arab cinema.
As part of the 26th edition, Let’s Talk About Water (LTAW) will present a special screening titled “Back to Our Future: Arid Lands and Ancient Hydro-Technologies (AHTs)” on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 15:30, at Cultuur and Campus Putselaan in Rotterdam.
The program brings together the winning films from the 2025 international short film competition dedicated to water, heritage, and innovation in dry land regions. Through powerful storytelling from Kenya, Iran, Pakistan, Tunisia, Chad, Morocco, and Colombia, the selected films explore how communities have developed, preserved, and revitalized ancient water management systems that continue to offer lessons for today’s water challenges.
Featured films include The Land Smiles Back, The Mystery of Qanats, Forgotten Flows of Karez, Land of Wells, Guardian of the Well, EAUQUATION—Water Distribution at Douiret-Sbâa, and E-RIAL. Together, these award-winning productions highlight the ingenuity, resilience, and cultural significance of traditional hydro-technologies across diverse landscapes.
Following the screening, audiences will have the opportunity to engage directly with leading water experts Kees Sloff and Emanuele Fantini during a moderated Q&A session led by Kyra Sloff. The discussion will connect the films’ themes to contemporary water management, sustainability, and the relevance of ancestral knowledge in addressing global water challenges.
By bringing these stories to the Arab Film Festival Rotterdam, Let’s Talk About Water continues its mission to bridge science, culture, and public dialogue, demonstrating how cinema can inspire new conversations about one of humanity’s most precious resources.
The event is open to festival audiences, water professionals, researchers, students, and anyone interested in the intersection of culture, history, and water stewardship.
Join us in Rotterdam! Friday, June 12, 2026, 15:30 h at Cultuur and Campus Putselaan and celebrate the power of film to connect cultures, spark conversation, and share stories that matter.
