ADIRA

Curated by ADIRA Treat Me Like Your Mother uncovers the intimate experiences of four trans women from Lebanon. As ADIRA, we want to bridge cities and queer Arab* communities by honouring the histories that connect us. We've been longtime admirers of Mohamad Abdouni’s work. The film is a powerful act of queer archiving, celebrating friendship, survival, (chosen) family, and the women who shaped Beirut’s queer history. For us, these women are the real divas and icons and the reason a festival like ADIRA Drag Festival exists. ADIRA is a queer Arab*/SWANA party and cultural event series. Founded in 2023 by Hassandra and xanax_attax, ADIRA centers SWANA voices through club nights, drag, and community events. ADIRA celebrates the nostalgia and energy of Arabic-pop music while challenging orientalist narrative.