Mizna

MIZNA IS A CRITICAL PLATFORM FOR CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE, ART, FILM, AND CULTURAL PROGRAMMING CENTERING THE WORK OF SOUTHWEST ASIAN AND NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTS. FOR TWENTY YEARS, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO REFLECT THE DEPTH AND MULTIPLICITY OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO BEING A SPACE FOR ARAB, MUSLIM, AND OTHER ARTISTS FROM THE REGION TO RECLAIM OUR NARRATIVES AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES IN MEANINGFUL AND ARTISTICALLY EXCELLENT ART.

JOURNAL: IN 2021, MIZNA PUBLISHED THE 40TH AND 41ST ISSUES OF THE LITERARY JOURNAL "MIZNA: SWANA LITERATURE + ART," FEATURIG 2 VISUAL ARTISTS AND 49 AUTHORS. IN 2021, WE REACHED MORE THAN 2000 READERS THROUGH SUBSCRIPTIONS, SALES, AND LIBRARY CHECKOUTS. IN PUBLICATION SINCE 1999, "MIZNA" REMAINS A RARE JOURNAL OF ARAB AND SOUTHWEST ASIAN/NORTH AFRICAN LITERATURE. "MIZNA" IS A CRITICAL SPACE FOR AUTHORS, WHO ARE BOTH EMEGING AND ESTABLISHED, IN WHICH THEY HAVE THE CREATIVE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE THEMES AND IDEAS THAT ARE REAL AND RELEVANT TO THEM, OUTSIDE OF THE CULTURAL ASSUMPTIONS MADE BY THE BROADER AMERICAN LANDSCAPE. FILM PROGRAMMING: MIZNA EXPANDED OUR FILM PROGRAMMING IN 2021 BY IMPLEMENTING THE MIZNA FILM SERIES, A MONTHLY FILM SERIES SCREENING MONTHLY IN PERSON IN MINNEAPOLIS AND ONLINE. WE ALSO RESUMED OUR ANNUAL ARAB FILM FEST AFTER TAKING A YEAR OFF DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.THE FIFTEENTH TWIN CITIES ARAB FILM FESTIVALE TOOK PLACE SEPTEMBER 29OCTOBER 3, 2021. TCAFF IS THE LARGEST AND LONGEST RUNNING ARAB FILM FESTIVAL IN THE MIDWEST. THE ARAB FILM FEST PRESENTS LOCAL DEBUT SCREENINGS, SHOWCASING INDEPENDENT FILM, AND INVITING FILMMAKERS. OVER FOUR DAYS, THE FESTIVAL PROVIDES AUDIENCES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AUTHENBTIC FACETS OF ARAB, SWANA, AND MUSLIM STORIES REFLECTEDON SCREEN, SOMETHING NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH MAINSTREAM MOVIES AND MEDIA. TCAFF AND THE MIZNA FILM SERIES ATTRACTED 1750 AUDIENCES IN 2021. CLASSES AND SPECIAL EVENTS: MIZNA CONTINUED TO OFFER HIGH QUALITY, AFFORADABLE ARABIC LANGUAGE COMMUNITY EDUCATION COURSES IN 2021. IN RESPONSIVE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC, THESE CLASSES WERE ALL OFFERED VIRTUALLY. THE 10-WEEK COURSES ARE TAAUGHT BY EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORES AT FIVE LANGUAGE LEVELS AND 2 LEVELS OF CONVERSATION. IN 2021, BESIDES THE JOURNAL, THE FILM PROGRAMMING, AND CLASSES, MIZNA OFFERED AN ARABIC LANGUAGE SUMMER CAMP FOR CHILDREN WITH A PERFORMANCE AND FILMMAKING FOCUS AND ALSO PRESENTED A NUMBER OF DYNAMIC POETRY READINGS AND LITERARY EVENTS.