This is the next title being screened at the Picture House as part of the Leeds Palestinian Film Festival. It is a drama set among the Palestinian Arabs who live in the part of occupied Palestine known as Israel. The drama centres round the celebration of the founding day of Israel, usually in early May. Dispossessed Palestinians mourn their lost country on Land Day, later in May.

For Palestinians who stayed on the land that became Israel, Israel’s day of founding is also the Palestinian’s day of Catastrophe [Al-Nakba]. For their exams, high school students have to learn Israel’s version of history, with the stories of dispossessed former Palestinians being suppressed.

Tamer (Mahmood Bakri) is drawn to a new high school student Maysaá (Sereen Khass) and through her becomes involved in an act of defiance of the occupiers’ celebrations. These centre on the Israeli flag; one meaning of ‘Alam’ is ‘flag’. Tamer ‘s family already have the experience of Israeli repression which leads to tensions within his family.

This feature is written and directed by Firas Khoury; he has already made some short movies. He is also involved in organising screenings and cinematic events throughout Palestine. This feature is a multi-territory production involving both European and Arab funding. It is shot in colour and anamorphic wide screen, 2.39:1. The running time is 109 minutes. The dialogue is in Arabic and Hebrew with English sub-titles.

This feature won the Golden Pyramid Award and the Audience Award at the Cairo International Film Festival. The experience of Palestinians living in Israel is often overlooked in the media. Given the repression taking place in Israel of Palestinian expression and opposition to the war, this is a welcome opportunity to get a sense of this Palestinian world.

Showing in Screen 1 on Wednesday 29th November at 6pm