These five groundbreaking films present a fresh, insightful picture of contemporary life across the Arab world, including life in countries we know little about. They tell intimate stories of individuals confronting the hardships and conflicts related to the most basic milestones. Each film thematically centers on one of the universal phases of life - BIRTH, YOUTH, LOVE & MARRIAGE, WORK, and HOME.

The stories are taken from Arab countries throughout the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, Syria and Iraq. And they are notable for the large representation of women filmmakers and women's stories.

"Highly Recommended! [ARAB DIARIES] presents a rare critical insight into contemporary life in the Arab world... a good example of how much more we have to learn about the Middle East – the films managed to raise an eyebrow once or twice, even though I spent almost 20 years in that region. Highly recommended ."
- Educational Media Reviews Online