<p>The Toronto Palestine Film Festival celebrates the culmination of its fifth year on Saturday with a bang. A particularly melodic, soulful and rousing bang.</p>

<p>Legendary composer and musician Marcel Khalife will be performing with the Al Mayadine Ensemble at the Toronto Centre for the Arts as part of a larger Canadian tour.</p>

<p>If you are lucky enough to get a ticket before the show sells out for the second time, expect audience shoulder-bumping, swaying, singing and, not implausibly, crying.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Hosting Marcel Khalife is definitely our most ambitious feat,&rdquo; says Dania Majid, a festival organizer, &ldquo;but we wanted to celebrate the milestone in a big way.&rdquo;</p>

<p>The Lebanese Khalife pays homage to iconic Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in his latest album and tour, Fall of the Moon. While Darwish&rsquo;s poetry is recognized across the Arab world for its eloquent exploration of exile, struggle and identity, Khalife also places Darwish&rsquo;s words in the context of the Arab Spring.</p>

<p>The film festival hosting him in Toronto, or TPFF as its known, &ldquo;is a place to experience Palestinian culture first-hand and to showcase Palestinian cinema,&rdquo; says Majid, &ldquo;because those films don&rsquo;t necessarily receive mainstream coverage.&rdquo; She says audience members of all backgrounds express to her their pride that the festival exists here in Toronto.</p>

<p>While the overall mood is upbeat and &ldquo;celebratory,&rdquo; Majid admits some of the films are quite difficult to watch. In fact, the festival opened with its heaviest film, the documentary The War Around Us, which blends footage of the 2008 war on Gaza with interviews of the only two Western journalists covering the events live. While the mood is a departure for TPFF&rsquo;s large openings, Majid says the committee felt it was powerful and important to screen to a wide audience. &ldquo;The response was overwhelmingly positive,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;People were grateful we screened it.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Since its debut in 2008, TPFF has expanded beyond focusing solely on Palestinian-related film and now also includes an Arab Perspectives segment, an art show, brunch, summertime outdoor screenings, and panel discussions. So what is in store for the festival&rsquo;s next five years?</p>

<p>&ldquo;Oh,&rdquo; Majid says, taken aback. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so tired I haven&rsquo;t even thought that far ahead. If we still exist in five years it will be an accomplishment.&rdquo; The festival is run entirely by volunteers and fundraising is a constant concern.</p>

<p>Three final films will round out the festival this weekend. Screening Friday are Crayons of Askalan &ndash; a Hot Docs official selection &ndash; and Beyond the Walls, co-presented with Amnesty and No One Is Illegal. The closing film, Habibi, based on the Arab world&rsquo;s own Romeo and Juliet tale, screens Saturday at TIFF Bell Lightbox, 7 p.m.</p>

<p>For more on the festival visit tpff.ca.</p>

<p>More on Marcel Khalife</p>

<p>- In 2005, Khalife was named a UNESCO Artist for Peace.</p>

<p>- Known for his political stances and music, he has often been compared to Bob Dylan. His music has been banned in Tunisia and he has faced charges and been under investigation for controversial lyrics. - Khalife&rsquo;s wife and two sons are also accomplished musicians who sometimes perform with him. - For samples of his music visit marcelkhalife.com.</p>