This incisive drama, from Academy Award nominee Scandar Copti, envelops us into the chaotically intertwined lives of a family navigating the unique challenge of being Palestinians living in Israel.
A high-stakes drama… with a candid and forthright gaze… Offers a tangible reminder that no one is free until everyone is free.
Happy Holidays 2024
Yanead ealiku
| Aug 03 |
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| Aug 09 |
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The trials and tribulations of an upper middleclass Palestinian family in Israel, grappling with the moral repercussions of their actions while striving in vain to lead a normal life in a hostile society, is the focus of the long-awaited second feature from Scandar Copti (Ajami, NZIFF 2010).
The story unfolds over four interconnected chapters as family members confront an unplanned pregnancy and a hastily arranged wedding. Meanwhile the bride’s sister Miri has to cope with her daughter’s depression, and the groom’s sister Fifi, in hospital after a car accident, may not be able to keep a closely guarded secret much longer.
Happy Holidays is a perceptive look at ordinary lives torn between archaic traditions, and a wider society that has systematically marginalised them. With a brilliant cast of nonprofessional actors and remarkable naturalism, Copti’s family brings into focus an oft-neglected dimension of the Palestinian experience. — Joseph Fahim