Inspired by real events, the film is a rare glimpse into Palestinian society from the inside. At the height of the 2002 Palestinian Uprising, Tareq, an enigmatic man bearing fresh wounds, is tended to by local nuns, who help him to escape. He is soon arrested by Israeli soldiers. Ten years later, Tareq is released from prison and returns to his town, a place drastically transformed and filled with secrets, to find his daughter. As secrets are uncovered, Tareq’s hidden past is revealed and light is shed on the stifling nature of contemporary Palestinian society. Moral certainty is replaced by questionable choices, and it is clear there are no easy answers.

Writer-director Najwa Najjar holds a BA in political science and economics, and an MA in film from the USA. She has worked in both documentary and fiction filmmaking, and her work includes the award-winning films Yasmine's Song (2005) and Naim and Wade'a(2000). Her debut feature film Pomegranates and Myrrh (2008) won 10 international awards and was sold and released worldwide. Najjar has spoken on numerous panels on cinema and has been a jury member of several international film festivals. She has written articles on Palestinian cinema and been a reader for the Rawi Sundance Lab for Arab scriptwriters and more recently a Creative Advisor for the Sundance Labs (2013 and 2014), and has organised several seminars for filmmakers.

This screening is organised in collaboration with Ustura Films.

1h 38min | Arabic with English subtitles.