Israeli, Palestinian films play in Cannes

Filmmaking on both sides of border is booming

By ALI JAAFAR

Sixty years after the founding of the state of Israel led to what the Palestinians call the nakba, or catastrophe, Israeli and Palestinian films are going up against each other at Cannes.

Israeli helmer Ari Folman’s animated doc “Waltz With Bashir,” one of the buzz titles in competish this year, preemed Thursday, the exact day that the state of Israel was established.

The following day Palestinian helmer Annemarie Jacir preemed her debut feature “Salt of This Sea,” about an American-Palestinian woman returning to the Palestinian territories to reclaim her past.

“My film is all about the Nakba,” Jacir told Variety. “I couldn’t think of better timing than showing it in May 2008. I’m not here to teach anybody but the situation hasn’t been recognized and it needs to recognized. It’s still very present.”

Filmmaking is booming on both sides of the border.

Palestinian helmers have completed an unprecedented five features this year. In addition to Jacir, there is Najwa Najjar’s feature debut “Pomegranates and Myrrh,” about a Palestinian dancer who has to cope with her husband being sent to an Israeli prison.

Rachid Masharawi announced that his latest feature “Leila’s Birthday” will world preem at Abu Dhabi’s Middle East Intl. Film Fest in October.

Masharawi is also rushing to complete his feature-length doc “Good Morning Gaza,” in time to preem at the same fest, which is holding a retrospective of docs made by non-Arab helmers about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Elia Suleiman, whose “Divine Intervention” won the 2002 Jury Prize at Cannes, will begin lensing on his anticipated “The Time That Remains” in July.

Tawfiq Abu Wael, whose “Thirst” won the Cannes Fipresci prize in 2004, is prepping his sophomore feature, loosely based on Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani’s 1968 novel “Return to Haifa.”

Hany Abu Assad, who won the Golden Globe for foreign film and received an Oscar nom for “Paradise Now,” is also prepping his English-language debut.

Jacir set up a satellite uplink back to her native Ramallah during her Croisette bow so that they could hold a simultaneous screening.

The Israeli film biz has been buzzing for the past two years, picking up a glut of awards at international film fests.

That trend may well continue with critical plaudits for “Waltz With Bashir” and a clutch of forthcoming Israeli projects, including Samuel Maoz’s war drama “Lebanon” and gang thriller “Russoun,” co-directed by Israeli helmer Yaron Shani and Arab director Scandar Copti.

The timing couldn’t be better for the glut of Israeli and Palestinian productions in the pipelines.

“Honestly it’s amazing that ‘Waltz With Bashir’ screened on May 15,” Folman noted. “When I started in 2003 I had no plans about when I’d finish making the film. It was a great coincidence. What can I tell you? Maybe it’s a sign.”