Khaberni - The Palestinian film "Palestine 36" by director Annemarie Jacir, representing Palestine at the Oscars, will have its first Arab screening at the fifth edition of the Red Sea Film Festival held from December 4th to 13th in Jeddah.
The film will be shown in the "Arab Masterpieces" drama section and will enjoy a major gala presentation. The director of the film commented on its screening at the festival, "We are pleased to finally announce the first Arab screening of our film as part of the Red Sea International Film Festival, where we will present the work for the first time to our audience in the Arab world."
The film recently won the Best Film award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the São Paulo International Film Festival, after making the shortlist for the 38th European Film Awards organized annually by the European Film Academy to recognize cinematic achievements and excellence, and was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.
"Palestine 36" is a historical drama revolving around the Palestinian revolution against British rule and the call for independence in 1936, with international co-production between Palestine, the UK, France, Denmark, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, and MAD Distribution handling its distribution in the Arab world.
The film tracks the character Youssef as he moves between his rural home and the tumultuous city of Jerusalem, yearning for a future beyond the increasing disturbances in Mandatory Palestine in 1936, where several villages were in revolt against British rule. However, history does not stop; as more Jewish immigrants fleeing escalating fascist Europe arrive, and Palestinian demands for independence increase, all parties are headed towards an inevitable clash at a critical moment for the British Empire and the region’s future.
The film had its world premiere at the "Gala" celebrations at the Toronto International Film Festival, and also participated in several festivals including the American Film Institute Festival in Los Angeles, the Chicago International Film Festival, and the BFI London Film Festival.
The film is written and directed by Annemarie Jacir, cinematography by Hélène Louvart (Invisible Life), editing by Tania Reddin (Dirty Filthy Love), production design by Nael Kanj (Omar), costume design by Hamada Atallah, and music by Ben Frost (Dark).
