How is secularism depicted in films? The term "Aa'La'Ma'Ni" means worldly in Arabic. It's significant in the Middle East, where secularism is controversial since the majority often link secularism with atheism and anti-religious sentiment. SECULAR | Aa'La'Ma'Ni, a documentary based on academic research, explores the depiction of secularism in Middle Eastern cinema and TV channels. Filmmakers and regional producers openly discuss religion, sectarianism, authorities, minorities, and industry challenges.
Rawan Aldamen is a filmmaker and media consultant and the CEO and founder of Stream Media Consultancy. For the past two decades, she has made documentaries and TV programs and specialized in online storytelling. She has produced and directed more than 30 hours of TV documentaries that have been translated into multiple languages, including the award-winning documentary series Al-Nakba. Rawan worked as a senior commissioning producer at Al Jazeera Media Network for 10 years, she also founded and led the innovative Palestine Remix project, the largest visual interactive website focusing on Palestine. She holds a master’s in communications studies from Leeds University. In 2015, she received the Media Creativity Award from the Arab Thought Foundation in Beirut.