Synopsis
Farha is a 14-year-old girl who lives in a small village in Palestine in 1948. Girls her age are traditionally married off or spoken for yet Farha wants to continue her education despite traditions and the restrictions of schooling in her village to boys only. Inseparable from her best friend Farida, who lives in the city but who spends weekends in the village, Farha dreams of joining her at a school in the city. Life in the village is threatened and aggressively changed by the looming danger. Just when Farha’s father is finally convinced and Farha’s dream is at last coming true, the danger comes closer to their village. As violence escalates, Farha is brutally separated from Farida. Terrorized for his daughter’s safety and fearing for her life, Farha’s father locks her up in a concealed, small food storage space by the house, promising to return. But he never does. Over the course of the next few days, Farha undergoes a life-changing experience while buried in the tight dark space, her only connection to the outside world is a small hole in the wall and a few cracks in the wooden door. Farha witnesses a lot of events, outside and inside the room, setting off her journey of transformation and forcing her to grow up and leave her childhood behind.
Coming of age, identity, exile
92 minutes
2021
Jordan/Palestine/Sweden/Saudi Arabia
Arabic, English, and Hebrew with Arabic and English subtitles
Written and directed by Darin J. Sallam
Produced by Deema Azar and Ayah Jardaneh
Co-produced by William Johansson Kalén
Production Company: TaleBox (Jordan)
Co-production Company: Laika Film & Television (Sweden)
In co-production with Chimney (Sweden)
Cast: Karam Taher, Ashraf Barhom, Tala Gammoh, Ali Suleiman, Sameera Al-Asir, Majd Eid, and Firas Taybeh
International sales: Picture Tree International
Distribution: Folkets Bio (Scandinavian Territories)
Cinematography: Rachelle Aoun
Editor: Pierre Laurent
Music: Nadim Mishlawi
Sound design: Rana Eid
Awards:
Jury Award - 12th Malmö Arab Film Festival 2022
Best Euro-Mediterranean Film dealing with Women’s Issues
EU Award - 6th Aswan International Women’s Film Festival 2022
Best Director Award – Darin J. Sallam - 6th Aswan International Women’s Film Festival 2022
Best Actress Award – Karam Taher - 6th Aswan International Women’s Film Festival 2022
Special Mention Award by the Red Sea Competition Jury – 1st Red Sea International Film Festival 2021