Film of the Week #41

July 28th - August 4th 2021

Shorts 4

Ismail (2013)

Dir. Nora al-Sharif // 2013 // Drama // 28 Mins

Inspired by a day in the life of the famous and prolific Palestinian painter Ismail Shammout (1930-2006), Ismail depicts the evocative story of a young Palestinian artist struggling to survive and support his parents and young brother after their expulsion to a refugee camp in 1948 by the Israeli forces.

Area C (2018)

Dir. Salah Abu Nimah // 2018 // Drama // 10 mins

In the nearly two-thirds of the West Bank classified as ‘Area C’ under the Oslo Accords, which contains many of the Israeli settlements, Israel exclusively administers the area and severely limits Palestinian development. By contrast, Jewish settlements are allowed to flourish unchecked, and settlers run rampant over their Palestinian neighbors. Young Hussain tries to defend his house so he can stay there with his parents.

A Sketch of Manners (2013)

Dir. Jumana Manna // 2013 // Experimental // 12 mins

Alfred Roch, member of the Palestinian National League, is a politician with a bohemian panache. In 1942, at the height of WWII, he throws what will turn out to be the last masquerade in Palestine.

The Bomb (2018)

Dir. Dima Hamdan // 2018 // Drama // 21 mins

Wasim and his mother haven't been getting along for a while. When the police ask them to evacuate their home in Berlin for one night to excavate a World War II bomb that's been discovered in the area, more feelings of anger and hurt come to the surface.

Maradonna’s Legs (2019)

Firas Khoury // 2019 // Drama // 23 mins

During the 1990 World Cup, two young Palestinian boys are looking for “Maradona’s legs”; the last missing sticker that they need in order to complete their world cup album and win a free Atari.