Produced by Ma'an, this
all-Palestinian drama deals with the political turmoil in Palestine that started
in January 2006: the first democratic parliamentary elections with the
participation of Hamas, its unexpected landslide victory, the international boycott that
followed, and the ensuing internal conflicts that overshadowed the Israeli
occupation for many West Bank and Gaza residents during 2007-2008.
The film
captures these developments through a
moving, realistic about a family with sons affiliated to the rival political
parties. The film portrays the family – and Palestinian daily life – from the
excitement of the pre-election and immediate post-election period to the growing
tensions as government employees no longer receive salaries and the
inter-factional violence in Gaza spills over into the West Bank. Ultimately, the
political disputes completely disrupt family
life and destroy the mother’s
health, providing a powerful metaphor for the ruptures
in Palestinian society
and a clear call for unity.
