Commissioned by the Locarno Film Festival for its 75th anniversary, eleven renowned personalities from international cinema were invited to send a "Postcard from the Future" from their country, to be screened in the Piazza Grande, the largest screen in Europe. From Palestine with Love is Annemarie Jacir’s contribution.
Haunted by her mother’s death and recurring attacks on her city, a young girl becomes obsessed with death. As her father tries to distract her through the making of a stop-motion film, reality invades their world. When his efforts to shelter his daughter fail, fantasy and imagination cross paths to help her, and in that fraction of time, story frees and a touch of mar mama's magic saves.
When Shadi embarks on a secret adventure, he accidentally drags his proud Palestinian family into a trap where they only have two choices; either collaborate with the Israeli occupation, or be outed in their community. Based on true stories.
Hamza is a middle-aged man who refuses to abandon a routine he has kept since his release from Israeli jail; every day, he goes into the woods to hunt a lion that the locals don't believe exists. He finds refuge in his journey from social rejection and denial. In the woods, Hamza is free to act according to his beliefs, fighting his own battle to heal an open wound — the trauma of losing his childhood friend, and the horrific memories of torture and guilt.
Cast: Kamel Al-Basha, Ruba Blal, Motaz Malhes, Khoulod Tannous
Director of Photography: Ashraf Dowani
Synopsis
A group of forest animals set out on the adventure of learning to write. A squirrel, a tiger, a hedgehog and an elephant will write many wrong letters and scrambled words, and in the end, learn the importance of togetherness, perseverance and knowledge.
Animation, 2022
12’
Croatia
6+
Croatian with Arabic Subtitle
Director: Jelena Oroz
Waleed (40) lives in Haifa with his wife and children and dreams of a writing career while suffering from chronic depression. He develops a close friendship with his neighbour (a small-time crook) with an ulterior plot in mind. While the scheme turns into an unexpected friendship between the two men, it leads them into a journey of dark encounters.
Awards: Best Screenplay, Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2022; Firebird Award, Hong Kong Film Festival, 2022; Palestine’s official entry for the Oscars, 2023.
Souvenir Souvenir
For ten years I pretended I wanted to get my grandfather to share his memories of the Algerian War. Today, I’m not sure I want to hear what he has to say, or whether I want to make this film at all.
Synopsis
Jesmark, a Maltese fisherman, contends with a newfound leak in his wooden Luzzu boat. Barely getting by, he sees his livelihood — and a family tradition from generations before him — imperiled by diminishing harvests, a ruthless fishing industry, and a stagnating ecosystem. Desperate to provide for his wife and their newborn son, whose growth impediment requires treatment, Jesmark gradually slips into an illicit black-market fishing operation.
Drama
Malta, 2021
Maltese with Arabic subtitles
95 minutes
16+
The Trap
International Competition / Audience Award