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October 26th Films (Cinema Nova 7:00PM)

ALAM – 17 year old Tamer lives ordinary teenage life with friends in Palestine until meeting new student who he falls for and is intrigued by her political ideas. Together alongside classmates they raise the Palestinian flag to disrupt the celebrations for Israelis Independence Day. While being unsure of his own political views Tamer must decide what matters to him and the price hes willing to pay for freedom.

ZOO – A boy names Sami looking for his football through the worst Zoo in the world and discovers more than the ball and encounters a tiger Laziz. The lions follows as he looks for a safe place to place and they become friends, however the remnants of war predict danger. The short animation is inspired by Gaza’s Zoo where the animals that died due to the war were embalmed and exhibited. The remaining living animals, including a tiger called Laziz, were rescued to safe reserves. However, nothing has changed for the people living in Gaza.

October 27th Films (Cinema Nova 6:30PM)

BETHLEHEM 2001 – Young palestinian recalls traumatic childhood memories of Bethlehem in 2001 while reflecting on his present. While trying to understand how parents led him through that difficult time he is looking for strength and support to cope with his present. A film about reflection of childhood trauma and hows it effects individuals later in life

TWELVE BEDS – Orphans the children of martyrs of palestinian revolution in late sixties. Boys and girls lived and studied in mixed orphanage in Mount Lebanon in town of Souk el Gharb. Challenging time for students as they found salvation in folk troupe founded by artist Abdallah Haddad in early seventies. Mastering cultural traditions they became icons of Revolution and toured world in era of global solidarity with Palestinian cause. Decades later hundreds of the martyrs are scattered in several countries. The abandoned orphanage still stands with scars of civil war as well as memories of geopolitical and personal conflicts are revisited through memories of previous students who share stories of displacement, martyrdom, loss and deprivation while stirring questions of identity, sacrifice and homeland.

October 28th Films (Cinema Nova)

A GAZA WEEKEND (6:15PM) – Deadly virus causes Israel to be sealed off and Gaza becomes the safest place in the region leaving British journalist and Israeli girlfriend trapped on wrong side of border. No one to turn to they must entrust two Palestinian street merchants who promise way out in exchange for much needed cash. A hilarious culture clash comedy/adventure as couple desperately try all to get home.

LOVESICK IN THE WEST BANK (6:15PM) – Hasna and Nabil Palestinian couple surprised as American tourist asks to stay at their home for few hours as he lost his way to Jerusalem. As Israeli military imposes curfew in village Hasna wonders about tourists timing of visit. When getting assistance from villages gullable baker Hasna tries to find real story behind the guest however she will soon learn she may have gotten more than she bargained for.

RESISTANCE, WHY (4:00PM) – In 1970 at initiative of Soraya Antonius (Fifth of June Society) Christian Ghazi and Noureddine Chatti met with Arab political figures and Palestinian leaders living in Lebanon. In the documentary produced, Ghassan Kanafani, Sadiq Jalal El-Azm, Nabil Shaath and others share their vision of the Palestinian revolution, tracing its history back to the early 20th century. These testimonies describe the numerous strikes and protests that took place in Palestine under the Ottoman occupation, followed by the British colonisation and the settlement of the Jewish state in 1948. They highlight the objectives of the struggle, emphasising the fundamental need for a free and democratic Palestine.

THREE PROMISES (4:00PM) – Story of mother and her camera of a son and his suppressed memories and of an entire country. At start of 2000s while Israeli army is retaliating against the second intifada in the West Bank, Suha films her daily life, punctuated by frequent trips underground and overwhelmed by the anguish of her two young children. At every moment of intense danger, she promises God that she will leave if they survive. In 2017, her son, the director of this film, discovers this archive and reconnects with this suppressed past, wondering with his mother what drove her to record a daily life of suffering, a stolen childhood, and why she delayed fleeing, paralyzed by the hope for change and burdened by the impossible choice between physical safety and emotional upheaval. While on the surface there emerges the heartrending portrait of everyday life in times of war, it is the staggering beauty of a mother’s love that is revealed between the lines. Blending the voice of the present with impressive family footage, Yousef Srouji completes the story begun by Suha, thus averting the act of forgetting, both personal and collective.

October 29th Films (Cinema Nova)

A HOUSE IN JERUSALEM (6:15PM) – Rebecca is forced to move with father from UK to Jerusalem hoping for a new beginning that can help her heal from mothers sudden death. Soon after settling in neighbourhood known as Valley of the Ghosts mysterious events occur that Rebecca blames herself for. Diving into the mystery of house and mystical city of Jerusalem Rebecca sets out on journey to discover what hides in shadows of house.

BYE BYE TIBERIAS (4:00PM) – Leaving her village to follow dream of becoming actress, Hiam Abbass also left behind her mother, grandmother and seven sisters. Thirty years later filmmaker daughter Lina returns with journey through vanished places among scattered memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women.

RESISTANCE CLIMBING (4:00PM) – In 2014 American Tim Bruns during a trip discovers cliffs in small village five minutes north of Ramallah in Palestine and got to work equipping easy routes and climbing routes to teach people how to climb. Bruns and Will harris also opened Wadi Climbing the first indoor climbing gym in Palestine. Gathered in conflict torn hills of Palestine a diverse team of Bedouins, urban professionals and activists embrace climbing as needed escape from the burden of israeli occupation.

Check the Palestine file festival website for screenings

https://palestinianfilmfestival.com.au/