This film is presented in the Un Certain Regard selection at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. It is adapted from the novel by Sayed Kashua.
The story of an Israeli Arab (Sami) who lives with his family in Jerusalem and returns to the Arab village where he grew up for his brother’s wedding, unaware that he will find himself trapped there after the sudden encirclement of the area by the Israeli army.
Chaos quickly ensues, tensions rise, and Sami can no longer leave.
Cut off from the outside world, trapped in an absurd situation, he experiences a constant disconnection within his parents’ society. Sami sees all his reference points waver: his marriage, his family, and his worldview.
Wherever he is, he faces the dilemma of being Palestinian with Israeli citizenship.
Once again, Kolirin brilliantly manipulates the absurd to tell of the disillusionment and exhaustion of a population that seems to have given up on the possibility of seeing peace in their lifetime.
