This year's Arab Film Festival showcases a variety of films from countries across the Middle East, moving away from ideas of conflict and instability often associated with the Arab world.
Hundreds of film goers gathered at Parramatta’s Riverside Theatre for the opening night film Halal Love.
The comedy, which premiered in Dubai and screened at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, follows the day to day dilemmas of life in the Arab World; one’s not so different from the West.
Lebanese film director Assad Fouladkar says Halal Love shines a light on the private lives of Muslims and addresses issues of love and sex usually considered taboo in Middle Eastern culture.
"In the Arab world when you go visit someone you go to the living room or a special place for strangers, you definitely don’t go into the bedroom," he told SBS.
“I'm taking people inside a private place, usually sacred place in the Arab world so we're seeing very intimate problems."
Set in Beirut, it follows the lives of three Muslim couples who overcome the challenges of faith and desire with an injection of humour.
"How about us getting another woman? You are allowed four wives," one of the women suggest to her husband in the film.
Mr Fouladkar said using comedy helps debunk misconceptions that Muslims “are the enemy.”
"IS is the worst nightmare that could happen to Muslims. It is a big burden for everyone in the West and it is a bigger burden for us in the Arab World."
Another filmmaker at the Arab Film Festival Shahin Alanezi left Kuwait with his family and moved to Sydney when he was 15-years-old.
Frustrated by the skewed representation of Muslims on screen, the 23 year old made the short film 'Home' which will be screening at the festival this year.
He said he wanted to illustrate the struggles of refugees settling in Australia.
"I wanted to show they are victims, they didn't choose this life," he said.
With Islam and immigration dominating global headlines, organisers say the diverse films at this year's festival are now relevant more than ever.
They hope it will challenge negative stereotypes and give audiences insight into cultures from Arab eyes.
"It's important for [Arabs] and non-Arabs to see alternative representations of themselves on screen and to see a celebration of our culture beyond the wars," said Festival co-director Fadia Abboud.
Now in its 13th year, the Arab Film Festival will screen in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth from 21 July to 12 August.
