Ola Slama
Operations Manager
2022
Link
Hanna Atallah
Festival Director
A DJ in the Territories
Synopsis
On the outskirts of a Palestinian village, Fadi, a 25-year-old DJ, lives at the top of a hill overlooking a valley. His girlfriend, Sandy, a graffiti artist, frequently sneaks over to make love and bring him gas to fuel his makeshift DJ set. One day, Israeli settlers arrive on the other side of the valley, preparing to seize his home by force. Fadi must use the sounds of war to ward off intruders. However, each noise attack uses precious fuel. When Sandy arrives without gas, Fadi is left with few options to save his land.
Mohammed Abugeth
Mohammed Abugeth was born in Jerusalem in 1986. He studied computer sciences at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem and worked as a production assistant for Idioms Films in Ramallah. In 2013, he moved to Germany to study International Media Management at the Deutsche Welle Academy, the German foreign channel, in Bonn and graduated in 2015 with a Masters of Fine Arts. Since then، he has worked in Berlin as a TV freelancer. The Devil’s Drivers is his frst feature-length film, and it premiered at TIFF 2021.
Lovesick in The West Bank (Slot 1)
Synopsis
A Palestinian family hosts a young American tourist after a simple misunderstanding. But as chaos unfolds in their village, it doesn't take too long for them to become part of the absurd mayhem that immediately ensues. Based on true events.
Palestine/Jordan
2021
16 minutes
Arabic, English, Hebrew with Arabic and English subtitles
Paradiso, XXXI, 108 (Slot 1)
Synopsis
“It’s going to be quite soundless, the roar of our aircraft is drowning everything else. We are running straight into the most gigantic display of soundless fireworks in the world, and here we go to drop our bombs”. Culled from Israeli military propaganda materials from the ‘60s and ‘70s, Paradiso, XXXI, 108 regards (with irony) towards a “cinematic self-portrait of men playing war”, to quote its author.
Summer, City and a Camera ( Slot 2)
Synopsis
Summer 2021, in Damascus city, some emerging young directors roam the city's streets to follow their dreams and shoot their first movies with the simplest available tools. The city opens up its arms and embraces them day and night with its streets, neighborhoods, and buildings.
Syria
2022
22 minutes and 37 seconds
Arabic with English subtitles
Awards:
Bardolino Film Festival - June 15, 2022 - Italy
The Wall (Slot 2)
Synopsis
“I have one question in mind: Who created this wall, and how can we break it?" Samih, one of the four youth in the film, describes this wall as if it is a hidden force that is controlling our lives. Pink Floyd inspires these youth to create a film that describes their lives, pain, and stories. They hope to deliver this film one day to Roger Waters and invite him to hold a concert in their camp. To them, this film is a first step in breaking the big wall surrounding them.
Lebanon
Search (slot 1)
Synopsis
Palestine 87 (Slot 1)
Synopsis
During the First Intifada, Atef is chased by the Israeli army and finds himself trapped in a house entrance. The owner, an old lady, hides him in her bathroom, where Atef is surprised to see another person inside, who helps escape from arrest.
Palestine
2022
12 mins’ 40 seconds
Arabic/Hebrew with English subtitles
Writer and director Bilal Alkhatib
Cast: Shebly Al Baw, Maya Omaya Keesh, Esperanza Abed Hussein, Haitham Alomari, and Akram Mansour.