We are proud to announce that the program for the Toronto Palestine Film Festival is now available! Thirty-six films will screen during the Festival, 22 are premiers.

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Welcome. This page contains the Programme and Tickets information for the Toronto Palestine Film Festival - October 25 to November 1.

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Programme

You can also download a pdf version of the Programme here.

Saturday, October 25 - 6:30 pm - Opening Night at the Bloor Cinema

Mother of Palestine
Amani Omar, Osama Hasa, Ahmad Hassan, Anas Ahmad, Ra’d Fathi, Mouwia Mohammed
2007
5:39
Short
Palestine
Canadian Premiere

Synopsis
Presenting a fictional Palestinian family as a microcosm of the nation, this tale illuminates both the destructive inter factional strife of recent years and the crucial, yet undervalued role of Palestinian women in holding together families and society under unprecedented strain. This film was made at the Jenin Freedom Theatre as part of the Voices Beyond Walls workshops where children from refugee communities in Palestine learn how to make films.

Salt of This Sea Annemarie Jacir 2008 105:00 Fiction Palestine/France Canadian Premiere
Synopsis: Soraya, born in Brooklyn in a working class community of Palestinian refugees, discovers that her grandfather’s savings were frozen in a bank account in Jaffa when he was exiled in 1948. Stubborn, passionate and determined to reclaim what is hers, she fulfills her life-long dream of “returning” to Palestine. Slowly she is taken apart by the reality around her and is forced to confront her own anger. She meets Emad, a young Palestinian whose ambition, contrary to hers, is to leave forever. Tired of the constraints that dictate their lives, they know in order to be free, they must take things into their own hands, even if it’s illegal. In Palestine's first feature by a female director, we follow two refugees in search of their own freedom through the traces of a lost Palestine. Official Selection, Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2008 Salt of This Sea Video Clip
On-line sales for Salt of This Sea are now closed. There are a limited number of tickets available at the door.


Saturday, October 25 - 9:45 pm Bloor Cinema A Day in Palestine Mary Ellen Davis, Jose Garcia-Lozano, Will Eizlini 2007 5:30 Experimental Canada Synopsis A collection of scenes of everyday life in the occupied Palestinian territories are presented with a dream-like feeling reminiscent of home-movies of the 1960s. But instead of a day at the beach or in the backyard, Palestinian daily life consists of: an olive tree, a wall, a bulldozer, and soldiers harassing grandmothers. Film locations include Jayyus, Abu Dis, Beit Duqqu.
The Land Speaks Arabic Maryse Gargour 2008 61:00 Documentary France/Greece Canadian Premiere
Synopsis This award-winning film shines a spotlight on the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by the Zionist movement. Original source documents, rare archival footage, direct quotes from Zionists leaders, testimonies of witnesses, along with interviews with historians, illustrate that the expulsion of the indigenous Arab population from Palestine was far from an accidental outcome of the 1948 war. Winner of three prizes, 2008 Documentary and Reportage Awards, Mediterranean Center for Audiovisual Communication
On-line sales for The Land Speaks Arabic are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Sunday, October 26 - 1:30 pm Bloor Cinema
Chronicles of a Refugee - Episode II: The Daily Nakbas Perla Issa, Aseel Mansour, Adam Shapiro 2008 89:00 Documentary USA/Lebanon Canadian Premiere
Synopsis Episode II: The Daily Nakbas documents the repeated expulsions of Palestinians from refugee camps and countries around the world since 1967. It explores the impact of displacement on a community under constant threat of becoming refugees a second, third or fourth time. (Chronicles of a Refugee is a 6-part documentary series examining the global Palestinian refugee experience over the last 60 years.) Co-presented by International Diaspora Film Festival
On-line sales for Chronicles of a Refugee - Episode II: The Daily Nakbas are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Sunday, October 26 - 4:00 pm Bloor Cinema Sound of the Street Annemarie Jacir 2006 3:00 Fiction Palestine Synopsis This witty satire draws a humorous comparison between a busy collection of ants and the liveliness of a Palestinian street. (Sound of the Street is one of 13 short films from the “Palestine, Summer 2006” collection, produced by the Palestinian Filmmakers' Collective.)
Driving to Zigzigland Nicole Ballivian 2006 92:00 Fiction USA/Palestine
Synopsis Shot in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Los Angeles, Driving to Zigzigland is a chronicle of a day in the life of Bashar, a Palestinian taxi driver living in Los Angeles who dreams of becoming a Hollywood actor. When Bashar realizes that he has twenty-four hours to earn the money for his utilities bills, he undertakes a marathon shift that brings an unceasing flow of taxi passengers who give Bashar the run-around on issues such as suicide bombers, George Bush, Cat Stevens, the Iraq war, Rai music and world geography. Bashar’s effort to pay his bills is won - until he realizes he must choose between the Department of Homeland Security and his own family. Best Film Award, Best Actor Award (Bashar Da’as) Amal Film Festival, Spain Audience Award Winner, Arabian Sights Film Festival, Washington, DC Driving to Zigzigland Video Clip
*On-line sales for this screening of Driving to Zigzigland* are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.**


Sunday, October 26 - 7:00 pm Bloor Cinema Flee Ahmad Habash 2006 3:00 Animation Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis Flee shows how an artist expresses his dreams for normal living. Using paints on glass, images of the sea, birds, a flute, trees, a flying kite, and a mother holding a child, flow seamlessly together in a creative longing for a normal daily life. (Flee is one of 13 short films from the “Palestine, Summer 2006” collection, produced by the Palestinian Filmmakers' Collective. )
The Olive Harvest Hanna Elias 2003 90:00 Fiction Palestine/Israel Canadian Premiere
Synopsis The Olive Harvest tells a complex love story against the backdrop of intoxicating Palestinian landscapes. Upon his release from an Israeli prison, Mazen develops romantic feelings for his childhood friend, Raeda. Unfortunately, Raeda is already engaged to Taher, Mazen’s younger brother. As it is tradition for the eldest brother to marry first, their love is kept a secret. Silver Pyramid Prize, Best Arab Film and Jury Award, Cairo International Film Festival 2004; Finalist, First Time Director, Sao Paolo International Film Festival 2004 The Olive Harvest Video Clip
On-line sales forThe Olive Harvest are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Sunday, October 26 - 9:30 pm Bloor Cinema Going for a Ride? Nahed Awwad 2003 15:00 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis Going for a Ride? was inspired by Palestinian artist Vera Tamari's installation of cars crushed by the Israeli Defense Force during invasions of Ramallah in 2002. She uses the destroyed cars as a metaphor for the freedom these cars once represented.
Telling Strings Anne-Marie Haller 2007 59:00 Documentary Palestine
Synopsis Telling Strings shows the intense interplay of music and politics in Palestine. After the expulsion of the Palestinians and the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the young Palestinian Elias Jubran stayed on in the place where he was born. As a result of the political situation, he and his family lived in total isolation. Music helped him to overcome this isolation and provided him with an escape. All four of his children have grown up in this environment permeated by politics and music, and have retained their connection to music in very different ways. This is a film about music, which draws its vitality largely from its closeness to the main characters and their different ways of life.
On-line sales for Telling Strings are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Monday, October 27 - 7:30 pm AMC, Mississauga Palestine in the Eye: Hani Jawhariah, Martyr of Revolutionary Cinema Mustafa Abu Ali 1979 27:00 Documentary Palestine North American Premiere Synopsis The late Hani Jawhariah (1939 – 1976) was one of the three founders of Fateh’s Palestinian Film Unit created in 1968. Jawhariah was martyred while filming the battle of Ain Toura in the mountains of Lebanon. Born in Jerusalem, much of Jawhariah’s photography and filming showed his great love for the city. He also filmed the Palestinian exodus after the 1967 war, and produced the first dramatic images of the Fidae'en (freedom fighters) to be known to the world. Director Mustafa Abu Ali made this film as a tribute to his friend and colleague and shows much of Jawhariah’s work as a cameraman, including the last 5 shots he filmed before his death.
Driving to Zigzigland Nicole Ballivian 2006 92:00 Fiction USA/Palestine
Synopsis Shot in Jerusalem, Ramallah and Los Angeles, Driving to Zigzigland is a chronicle of a day in the life of Bashar, a Palestinian taxi driver living in Los Angeles who dreams of becoming a Hollywood actor. When Bashar realizes that he has twenty-four hours to earn the money for his utilities bills, he undertakes a marathon shift that brings a unceasing flow of taxi passengers who give Bashar the run-around on issues such as suicide bombers, George Bush, Cat Stevens, the Iraq war, Rai music and world geography. Bashar’s efforts to pay his bills is won - until he realizes he must choose between the Department of Homeland Security and his own family. Best Film Award, Best Actor Award (Bashar Da’as) Amal Film Festival; Spain Audience Award Winner; Arabian Sights Film Festival, Washington, DC Driving to Zigzigland Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of Driving to Zigzigland are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Tuesday, October 28 - 7:00 pm NFB Cinema
Zero Degrees of Separation Elle Flanders 2005 90:00 Documentary Canada
Synopsis Described by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz as a film bursting with concern about identities - secular, national, political, generational, cultural, class, ethnic and more - Elle Flanders’ feature length documentary breaks from the sensationalistic media coverage of violence in the Middle East by examining the conflict through the eyes of two mixed Palestinian and Israeli gay and lesbian couples. Co-presented by The Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival and The NFB.
On-line sales forZeor Degrees of Separation are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Tuesday, October 28 - 9:30 pm NFB Cinema The People Tamara Masri 2008 6:17 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis Directed by 16 year old filmmaker Tamara Masri, The People is a personal narrative depicting the lives of Palestinians living under oppression. Traveling through Jerusalem, Jaffa, Jericho, and the winding roads in between, the film shows various aspects of Palestinian life. The People was produced to promote an understanding of the Palestinians, not as fighters or terrorists, but as people working for freedom.
Mahmoud Darwich - As the Land is the Language Simone Bitton 1997 60:00 Documentary Palestine
Synopsis This film traces Darwich’s path of exile from the Cisjordanian Desert to Paris, via Cairo and Beirut. It sets out to understand the popular fervour and intense emotion generated by Palestine’s national poet through his own inimitable words and rhythms. It not only allows the audience to appreciate his work in its totality, but also places it in its political, historical and cultural context.
This show is SOLD OUT.


Wednesday, October 29 - 7:00 pm Revue Cinema Hope of Freedom Ahmad Abu Odeh, Amjad Al Khawaja, Saja Al Ajarma, Miras Al Azza, Mohammad Sarhan, Katherine Toukhy 2007 11:03 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis A child interviews his grandmother about their family history, her memories of the Nakba and fleeing their home in the village of Ajur. This film was made at the Aida Refugee Camp as part of the Voices Beyond Walls workshops where films are made by children from refugee communities in Palestine.
Memory of the Cactus Hanna Musleh 2008 42:00 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere
Synopsis This documentary reveals the true story behind Israel’s “Canada Park” – a story of dispossession, destruction and continuing displacement. Forty-one years ago, the three Palestinian villages of Imwas, Yalo and Beit Nouba in the Latroun enclave of the West Bank were razed to the ground after Israel occupied the territory in 1967. Today, the residents of those villages remain displaced and barred from returning, while Israeli citizens enjoy picnics in the Jewish National Fund’s “Canada Park”, much of it funded by Canadians, oblivious to the crimes perpetrated in their names. Discussion with guest speaker from Al-Haq, a Palestinian Human Rights Organization, will follow the screening. Co-Presented by the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association Memory of the Cactus Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of Memory of the Cactus are now closed. A limited number of tickets are available at the door.


Wednesday, October 29 - 9:30 pm Revue Cinema First Picture Akram Al-Ashqar 2006 26:34 Documentary Palestine North American Premiere Synopsis The film tells the story of Nour, a Palestinian child born to Manal Ghanem from the Tulkarem refugee camp while she was detained in the Israeli Telmond prison. Nour lived with his mother in the prison for over two and a half years, before being sent to live with relatives while his mother remained in detention. The film also documents the reaction of his relatives as they adjust to his behavior resulting from his imprisonment.
All That Remains Nada El-Yassir 2005 52:00 Documentary Palestine/Israel Canadian Premiere
Synopsis Arab Bedouins once inhabited the entire Negev Desert, which accounts for 60% of historic Palestine. Since the creation of Israel in 1948, the majority were uprooted and dispersed. Those who remain have either been rounded up into one of seven townships or are living in one of 46 "unrecognized villages" without the basics of water, electricity, schools, roads or medical services. The film explores the struggle of the Bedouins of the Negev, a unique part of Palestinian society, for the recognition of their indigenous land rights against a backdrop of Israeli policies that aim to strip them of their land and therefore their way of life. Co-presented by imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival
On-line sales for this screening of All That Remains are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Thursday, October 30 - 7:00 pm Revue Cinema
Chic Point Sharif Waked 2003 7:15 Satire Palestine Synopsis Sharif Waked’s video presents a line of haute couture men’s fashion that exposes various parts of the body to the onlooker’s view. The garments are designed for use at Israeli security checkpoints, offering a satirical response to the serious problem of being stopped and searched while traveling between Palestine and Israel. Tunnel Trade Laila El-Haddad and Saeed Taji 2007 22:00 Documentary Palestine North American Premiere Synopsis When Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in 1982, they built a wall along the Gaza border with Egypt, splitting the city of Rafah into two. Families found themselves divided by a high-security international border. Frequent border closures by the Israelis further isolated the Gaza Strip and Palestinian trade soon went underground. Since then, dozens of secret tunnels have been burrowed below the Israeli border fence. Everything moves through the tunnels of Rafah - from cigarettes and medicine to cash and people. But the residents have also suffered enormously as Israeli operations to destroy the tunnels have demolished thousands of homes.
Gaza: Another Kind of Tears Abdel Salam Shehadeh 2006 51:00 Documentary Palestine North America Premiere
Synopsis Checkpoint surrounded by small and large cement blocks, attached by wires. Bored soldiers detaining people, keeping them standing for hours all day long, bothering them with endless questions. This is what Hussein faces as he arrives early in the morning carrying his lunch waiting for any soldier to release him from the crossing to the settlement where he works. This film documents the lives of Palestinian farm workers and farmers both before and after Israeli settlers left Gaza. Co-presented by Mayworks: Festival of Working People and the Arts
On-line sales for this screening of Gaza, Another Kind of Tears are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Thursday October 30 - 9:30 pm Revue Cinema To the Arabs of Haifa, a Special Message Razi Najjar 2006 3:00 Fiction Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis Two young men get quite the shock as they intently watch Al-Jazeera’s coverage of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s speech to the Arabs of Haifa during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006. (To the Arabs of Haifa, a Special Message is one of 13 short films from the “Palestine, Summer 2006” collection, produced by the Palestinian Filmmakers' Collective. )
Since You Left Mohammed Bakri 2005 60:00 Documentary Palestine Toronto Premiere
Synopsis The film Since You Left by renowned Palestinian actor Mohammad Bakri, is neither a eulogy to his friend and mentor, the writer and politician Emile Habibi, nor an account of the late author's life and work. Instead, it is a poignant and deeply personal letter to the departed. Much of the film is centred on two events which traumatized Bakri's life in the years after his mentor's passing. The first is his nephew's involvement in a deadly attack on a public bus in the city of Meiron, and the subsequent backlash against the entire Bakri family. The second is the censorship of his film Jenin Jenin that was banned in Israel for two years upon its release. Bakri imparts this information as if he were sitting across a cafe table from Emile Habibi, talking over coffee and cigarettes. Co-presented by Reel Awareness - Amnesty International Film Festival
On-line sales for this screening of Since You Left are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Friday October 31 - 7:00 pm Revue Cinema untitled part 1: everything and nothing Jayce Salloum 2003 43:00 Documentary Canada/France Synopsis Lebanese-Canadian filmmaker, Jayce Salloum, talks off-camera with Soha Bechara, a former Lebanese National Resistance fighter who was detained for ten years in the notorious El-Khiam torture and interrogation centre in South Lebanon. Upon her release, she became the subject of intense media interest in the European and Arab press. In a riveting and intimate conversation, Salloum inquires about home, resistance, survival, and the distance between Paris, where Bechara now lives, and Khiam.
Snow White and the Ambassador Erik Pauser, Thomas Nordanstad 2004 54:00 Documentary Sweden Canadian Premiere
Synopsis The film demonstrates the role of art as political statement. It is also about the Israeli Ambassador to Sweden who, in January 2004, attacked an exhibition at the Historic Museum in Stockholm. The event made world headlines in 350 newspapers and 100 TV and radio stations all over the world. The exhibition was a cultural presentation made in conjunction with the conference called “How to Prevent Genocide” that was initiated by Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson and the Swedish government. This is the story of what really happened.
On-line sales for this screening of Snow White and the Ambassador are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Friday October 31 - 9:30 pm Revue Cinema Maria's Grotto Buthina Khoury 2007 52:00 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis A gripping and inspiring portrait of women whose lives are dictated by a patriarchal moral code, Maria's Grotto examines the issue of honor killings in Palestine. Khoury explores the subject through the stories of four women. Co-presented by Springtide Resources Inc.
The Mountain Hanna Elias 2003 36:00 Fiction Palestine Canadian Premiere
Synopsis The Mountain is a poignant story of the bond between generations, and explores Palestinian community life apart from the shadow of Israeli occupation. When an attractive young woman from Galilee catches the eye of a young farmer from Gaza on market day, love may be an inevitable consequence. But in this film, the course of true love is complicated by tradition. For many centuries elopement in the Middle East has been the only alternative for women who object to pre-arranged marriage. Winner of 13 international awards including: Grand Prix, Du Monde, Arab Film Festival, Paris, France; Best Short Film GrandPrix, Henri Longlois Film Festival, Tours, France; President Prize, UINESCO International Film Festival, Hiroshima, Japan; Cine Eagle Film Award, Washington DC, USA The Mountain Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of Maria's Grotto and The Mountain are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Saturday, November 1 - 1:30 pm Bloor Cinema Lemonade Hicham Kayed 2004 13:00 Fiction Lebanon Canadian Premiere Synopsis A Palestinian family settles in a new exile in Lebanon after fleeing Kuwait during the Gulf War. The children, raised with the epic tales of their grandfather's heroism in the defense of Palestine, finally meet him but only for one day before he dies. The young brothers, inspired by a girl that creates beautiful rituals from her grandmother's garden, try to transcend their predicament as refugees by spending their holidays productively. Golden Prize, Cairo International Film Festival for Children, 2004 Producers Award, The 14th Youth Media Festival, Berlin, 2005
Welcome to Hebron Terje Carlsson 2007 55:00 Documentary Sweden North American Premiere
Synopsis The first thing 17 year old Leila asserts in Welcome to Hebron is that no one can tell her what to do. Leila is a Palestinian student living in the Israeli-occupied city of Hebron in the West Bank, and refuses to be a victim of her situation. The film documents the increasingly brutal and racist behavior of the Israeli settlers as they attempt to force Palestinian residents of the city from their homes. Welcome to Hebron Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of Welcome to Hebron are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Saturday, November 1 - 4:00 pm Bloor Cinema
USA vs Al-Arian Line Halvorsen 2007 99:00 Feature Documentary Norway
Synopsis USA vs Al-Arian is a portrait of an Arab-American family facing terrorism charges leveled by the U.S. Government. The film shows the personal story of a family living in a society where fear of terrorism has resulted in increasing stigmatization and discrimination against Muslims. For years, Nahla Al-Arain and her children have been fighting to prove the innocence of their husband and father Sami, a Palestinian refugee, university professor and civil rights activist, who has lived in the USA for more than thirty years. Best Documentary, Norwegian Documentary Film Festival, Oslo 2007; Best Film, New Orleans Human Rights Film Festival, USA 2007; Grand Prix, International Festival of Muslim Cinema, Kazan, Russia 2007 Co-presented by Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival USA vs Al-Arian Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of USA vs Al-Arian are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Saturday, November 1 - 7:00 pm Bloor Cinema Sedition Min Sook Lee 2008 12:00 Documentary Canada World Premiere Synopsis Spoken word slam artists Rafeef Ziadah and Boonaa Mohammad pack their poetic punches with bull's-eye aim at the politics of exile and identity. Spliced with the hypnotic beats of renowned Toronto musical group, LAL. Co-presented by PEN Canada and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
A World Apart Within 15 Minutes Enas Muthaffar 2006 3:00 Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis A World Apart in 15 Minutes shows a woman driving her car in Jerusalem. She repeatedly asks Israelis for directions to nearby city of Ramallah. The few people who know the way are reluctant to answer, and may even give false directions. (A World Apart Within 15 Minutes is one of 13 short films directed by Palestinian filmmakers and produced by the Palestinian Film Collective. See Sounds of the Street)
Jerusalem: The East Side Story Mohammed Alatar 2008 57:00 Documentary Palestine
Synopsis “The air above Jerusalem is filled with prayers and dreams, Like air above cities with heavy industry, Hard to breathe From time to time a new shipment of history arrives.” Yehuda Amichai The latest shipment of history is the Israeli occupation. In 1948, the western part of the Jerusalem fell under Israeli control, and in 1967, the eastern part fell under Israeli occupation. Since then, Israel has pursued a policy of Judaizing the city, aiming to achieve "Jewish demographic superiority." Part of this policy is to drive Palestinian Muslims and Christians out of the city and at the same time deny their presence, history, and ties to the land. The film also touches upon the future of the city: without peace in Jerusalem, there is no peace for anyone. Special Festival Award, 9th Cairo Television Film Festival, Egypt 2008 Canadian Premiere Co-presented by The Images Festival Jerusalem: The East Side Story Video Clip
On-line sales for this screening of Jerusalem: The East Side Story are now closed. Tickets are available at the door.


Saturday, November 1 - 9:00 pm - Closing Program at the Bloor Cinema The Shooter Ihab Jadallah 2007 7:00 Satire Palestine Canadian Premiere Synopsis Palestine is occupied by the international media and is often “staged” by the international media for sensational newscasts. Palestinians have become "performers” of dramatic international evening infotainments. “Cinema is not the reflection of the reality; it's the reality of the reflection.”
Slingshot Hip Hop Jackie Reem Salloum 2008 80:00 Feature Documentary Palestine Canadian Premiere - Director in Attendance
Synopsis Slingshot Hip Hop braids together the stories of young Palestinians living in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and “Separation Walls”, to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders that separate them. Nominee, Grand Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival 2008.
On-line sales for this screening of Slingshot Hip Hop are now closed. Tickets are available at the door. Slingshot Hip Hop Video Clip