Birthmark Films

Yallah! Underground follows some of today’s most influential and progressive artists in Arab underground culture from 2009 to 2013 and documents their work, dreams and fears in a time of great change for Arab societies. In a region full of tension, young Arab artists in the Middle East have struggled for years to express themselves freely and to promote more liberal attitudes within their societies. During the Arab Spring, like many others of this new generation, local artists had high hopes for the future and took part in the protests. However, after years of turmoil and instability, young Arabs now have to challenge both old and new problems, being torn between feelings of disillusion and a vague hope for a better future.

Shams is an Egyptian bank employee who dreams of becoming a mother and having her own baby, but the problem is that she refuses the idea of marriage. Shams finds a solution to her dilemma when she meets a veterinarian called Bahgat.

These characters are navigating life in a world with no rulebook on gender, sexuality or femininity. Will it make them, or break them? An anthology of award-winning shorts exploring stories of coming out and embracing love through the eyes of visionary filmmakers.