At the time of writing, the Lebanese villagers of Qana are mourning their dead’more than half of them children. In one stroke, Israel’s armed forces have destroyed almost as many Lebanese lives as the total number of Israeli lives lost since the conflict began nearly three weeks ago. Israeli forces have declared a ceasefire for 48 hours with the expressed hope that UN forces can evacuate civilians.

What’s the truth behind the headlines? Want to know more about the challenges facing the Middle East?

The Homelands Now category was first introduced at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2003, when Iranian film-maker Abbas Kiarostami was invited to showcase his films. As MIFF programmer Nick Feik recalls, Kiarostami was astonished at being so well received by audiences when his films, like this year’s Filmmaker in Focus Jafar Panahi’s, are extremely difficult to screen in their home country of Iran.

‘It was a socio-cultural thing. There were so many exciting film-makers coming out of the Middle East’so many with aesthetic genius.’

During the Talking Pictures sessions, Panahi described the difficulty of clearing approval with the authorities in order to shoot his film. He spends seventy percent of his time negotiating with authorities for permission to film. In order to gain approval for Offside, Panahi submitted a script that was different to the one that was eventually used.

Nick Feik enthuses, ‘Offside is sold out. It was interesting to listen to the audience reaction’there was a moment of overwhelming hope at the end, an off beat moment, but nevertheless a positive note.’

As for a pick of this year’s collection, Nick said he has been most astounded by Iraq In Fragments. ‘I don’t know how the film-maker made Iraq In Fragments. It’s got an amazing style. How did he survive the making of it? He really gets into the Shi-ite neighbourhoods and talks to Al Saji and his brigade.’

For an alternative look at the issues facing the Middle East, check out one of the 10 films on offer as part of Homelands Now’you won’t be disappointed.