Every night, Mustafa says goodnight to his children by flashlight – signalling across the 200 metres that keep them apart, on either side of the wall.
When Mustafa’s son is taken to hospital, the mere 200 metres that separate his abode from his family’s might as well be an ocean: he must overcome Israel’s heavily policed wall to reach them. This absurd odyssey sees his fate collide with others – a young boy simply trying to find work, and an incongruous couple – a diasporic Palestinian whose German girlfriend films him playing the defiant tourist on their way to his cousin’s wedding. Whilst the wall itself visibly and increasingly fragments Palestine, it is the subtle and labyrinthine ramifications on everyday life that director Ameen Nayfeh brings into frame. His accomplished debut feature negotiates its gripping storyline much as Mustafa navigates the complexities of a life under occupation – with ingenuity, and dignity.
