Regi: Alex Veitch, Brahim B. Ali, Mohamedsalem Uered, Anna Klara Åhrén. Vest-Sahara/Sverige, 2024. Arabisk/spansk tale, engelsk tekst. Format: DCP. 1t 30min.
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An iconic singer's life, music and lyrics are deeply intertwined with the struggle for freedom in a country known as Africa's last colony.
The title of this film is also the name of iconic singer Mariem Hassan's song, an exuberant rally cry for revolution and freedom in Western Sahara. The result of a collaboration between filmmaker collectives RåFILM from Sweden and Saharawi Voice from the Western Sahara refugee camps in Algeria, HAIYU interweaves Mariem Hassan's music and her personal quest for her country's independence with larger historical events dating back to the region's Spanish colonisation, and subsequent occupation by Morocco. 
Told through archive footage and interviews with family, artists, friends and revolutionaries 
the film details Hassan's commitment and compassion.  Her evocative music and poetry does not only represent her spirit, but that of the Saharawi women, and a people who continue their struggle for self-determination and the battle for their land and resources.
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Arabisk filmfest is an annual festival held in Bergen that showcases internationally recognized and award-winning films from and about the Arab region. We aim to highlight diverse classic and mainstream films that contribute to a more inclusive and representative film culture. Through various genres such as drama, comedy, thrillers, and documentaries, the festival provides a unique insight into a culture and a world that Western audiences often only see through the news. 
In addition to the films, the festival offers panel discussions, safe spaces to discuss films, opportunities to savor Arabic music and food together, and a range of experiences meant to engage and inspire attendees and create a sense of community and inclusion.
The Arab Film Festival is organized in collaboration with Cinemateket I Bergen.