1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: On the Bechdel Cast, the questions ask if movies have 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: women and them, are all their discussions just boyfriends and husbands, 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: or do they have individualism? It's the patriarchy, Zephyn Beast, 4 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: start changing it with the Bechdel Cast. 5 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 2: Hello, and welcome to the Bechdel Cast. My name is 6 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 2: Caitlin Durante. 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 3: My name is Jamie Loftus, and this is our podcast 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 3: where we take a look at your favorite movies using 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 3: an intersectional feminist lens, using the Bechdel Test as a 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 3: jumping off point. Wow, Caitlyn, what what the hell is that? 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: It's a media metric created by queer cartoonist Alison Bechdel, 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 2: sometimes called the Bechdel Wallace Test. It has many variations. 13 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: The one that we use is do two characters of 14 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: a marginalized gender have names? Do they speak to each other? 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 2: And is their conversation about something other than a man? 16 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: And we like it when it's a narratively relevant conversation. 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 3: Which will not be a problem with our episode today, 18 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 3: which is why it's a jumping off point for a discussion. Yes, 19 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 3: because our podcast has been on for over eight years 20 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 3: now and Alison Bechdel, I think is very kindly, politely 21 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 3: ignored our existence for the better part of a decade. 22 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 3: I do at this point sort of like, I'm like, 23 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 3: I wonder if we hit ten years, if she'll just 24 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 3: like pop out of the floorboards, Like I feel like 25 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 3: she should throw us a surprise party. 26 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 4: Is that? 27 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 3: What do you think? 28 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we've talked for a long time about 29 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 2: having her as a guest on the likes. 30 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 3: Her emails, so it's like she also wants nothing to 31 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 3: do with us, but she hasn't sued us. 32 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 2: Have we emailed her? I think we have been too scared. 33 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 3: I think we did when the podcast started, which was 34 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 3: un The hubris of that is just like absurd. We're 35 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 3: just like, hey, we're two people ripping off your likeness. 36 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 3: Will you do free labor for us? Like we've grown, 37 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 3: we've learned. I just sort of, you know, someday, someday, I. 38 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: Have no memory of this. I thought we were always 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: too frightened. 40 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: I have to go back into the archives. I feel 41 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 3: like we were so flagrant at the beginning in our youth. 42 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 2: Could be in any case. 43 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 3: In any case, we are here with the do episode. 44 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 3: We're very excited. 45 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: So the movie we're covering today is Salt of This 46 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 2: c a two thousand and eight movie written and directed 47 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 2: by Anne Marie Jacir, and we're so excited to talk 48 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 2: about it. And we're so excited to talk to our 49 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 2: guest today, who is a film programmer at Brooklyn Academy 50 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: of Music, the curator of Cinema Arabia. She's a former 51 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: director of film programming at the Arab Film and Media Institute. 52 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: It's Yesmina tweel Hi, Hello and welcome. 53 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 4: I'm so happy and excited to be here. 54 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: We're delighted to have you. 55 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 3: We're so excited you're here. 56 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 2: Something I didn't list in your credits, but I think 57 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 2: is important to mention is that you also studied at 58 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 2: Boston University and have a degree in film. It's not 59 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 2: a master's degree in screenwriting, which is something that I 60 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: would never mention having. 61 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 4: But it's not and I put it specifically in my 62 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 4: email to you to make sure you knew. 63 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: I'm glad you did. 64 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 3: But that does mean statistically all three of us have 65 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 3: like someone has coughed in our mouths on the green line, 66 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 3: and I feel like that's a beautiful bonding experience. Well, 67 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: thank you so much for being here. And for bringing 68 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 3: us this movie. If you're in the US and you 69 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 3: have a library card, you should be able to watch 70 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 3: this film on canopy right now. That's where I believe 71 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: we watched it. But I wanted to start before we 72 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 3: get into Salt of this Sea. I mean when you 73 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 3: sent us, you sent us a really comprehensive list of 74 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 3: movies that would be good for us to talk about, 75 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 3: but so many of them were difficult to stream. So 76 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 3: because you've been such a huge supporter and curator of 77 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 3: Arab cinema in a country where it is just like 78 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 3: not as easy to access Arab cinema, I want to 79 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 3: know a little bit about your experience in this space 80 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: and what you're doing right now. 81 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, So for some context for listeners, I am Arab, 82 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 4: as one would hope. I was born in the US, 83 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 4: but my mom is from Lebanon, my dad is from Syria, 84 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 4: and I actually didn't grow up with Arab cinema really. 85 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 4: I know my parents had a couple of VHS tapes, 86 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 4: but it wasn't until maybe it was in high school 87 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 4: that I watched a couple things they had West Beiru 88 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 4: and Caramel, which to this day or two of my 89 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 4: absolute favorite films. But when I really started getting into 90 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 4: it was when I started volunteering with the Arab Film 91 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 4: and Media Institute. At the time, it was just the 92 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 4: Arab Film Festival, and I started writing the blog for them, 93 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 4: and I kind of got a hands on education in 94 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 4: Arab cinema, particularly contemporary Arab cinema. It also led me 95 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 4: down some paths of learning about the cinema industry in 96 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 4: these different countries as well, and so I taught myself 97 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 4: a lot just through that. I'd always been very proud 98 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 4: of my heritage and was studying film, so it just 99 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 4: kind of went hand in hand that I would start 100 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 4: working in that space beyond just volunteering and writing the blog, 101 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:28,040 Speaker 4: and was very honored to be brought on as the 102 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 4: director of Film Programming in twenty twenty one, and then 103 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 4: it just kind of my involvement in the Arab cinema 104 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 4: space just kind of exploded out from there. 105 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: That's great, Yeah, but. 106 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 3: It seems like you're like truly a fixture in the 107 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 3: New York film scene at this point. I like to think, so, yeah, 108 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,560 Speaker 3: and we're going to declare it here right now because 109 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 3: we definitely have that power. Yeah, I mean, going off 110 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 3: of that. What is your history with this film in 111 00:05:57,760 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 3: particular and this director's work. 112 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, so, Anri Yasser is one of the most famous 113 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 4: filmmakers from the region, and I had noted about her 114 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 4: work for a while. I can't remember when I saw 115 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 4: this film for the well, I think it wasn't that 116 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 4: long ago, actually, but I actually saw Ann Marie's film 117 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 4: Lajib first many years ago in Beirut, and then Salt 118 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 4: of This Sea only more recently in the last few years. 119 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,640 Speaker 4: But both films made me completely fall in love with her. 120 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 4: And she has such a way of capturing just the 121 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 4: human experience, but the human experience that happens to be 122 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 4: in Palestine and speaks to all the bigger sort of 123 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 4: social and political ramifications of living under occupation in her stories. 124 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 4: But yeah, so this film is fairly new to me, 125 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 4: but I've been familiar with An Marie's work for many 126 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 4: many years. 127 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: Nice, yeah, Jamie, how about you. 128 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 3: I hadn't seen this before. I had seen one of 129 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 3: Henry Jasser's more recent shorts. It was very short. My 130 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 3: friend Kavon put together a like streamed Palestinian Shorts presentation. 131 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 2: I want to. 132 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 3: Say, like around this time last year and there was 133 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 3: a short she directed in I Have It up Here 134 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two called from Palestine with Love. That is 135 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 3: it's four minutes long, but it was really really beautiful. 136 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 3: You should check it out if you're able. But it's 137 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 3: basically a series of cement blocks being removed to reveal 138 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:34,600 Speaker 3: this gorgeous beach and children playing on the beach. And yeah, 139 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 3: so that was my experience with her work. I also 140 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 3: now looking at her IMDb page, realized she's directed an 141 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: episode of Romi. So I have seen whatever episode she directed, 142 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 3: I've seen it every episode of that show. 143 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 4: I think it's the one that takes place in Palestine, 144 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 4: or maybe there's a couple that take place in Palestine. 145 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 3: Let me check. Oh yes, yes, yeah, it's from also 146 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two Egyptian Cigarettes. Yeah, I guess I was 147 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: semi familiar with her more recent work, but had not 148 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 3: seen Salt to This Sea before. And it's so I 149 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: just I really was like blown away at the sort 150 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 3: of ease of her writing too, and how there are 151 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 3: so many complex things. I mean, if you're not familiar 152 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 3: with the Israeli occupation and the plight of the Palestinian people, 153 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 3: it is a lot of information to convey, but it's 154 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 3: conveyed through It's just so naturally conveyed. And you also 155 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 3: kind of get this. This is like a maybe dumb 156 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 3: thing to harp on, but I was really blown away 157 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 3: at how how often we talk about on the show 158 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 3: how forced love stories feel, and how natural this one felt, 159 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 3: and how just like her writing is so effortless, where 160 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,719 Speaker 3: even when you don't agree with what a character is doing, 161 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 3: you completely understand why they're doing it. And anyways, Yeah, 162 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 3: it's great. I'm excited to watch more of her work. 163 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, Kaitlyn, this was my first film of Amory Jasser's 164 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 2: and I loved it. I think this is such a 165 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 2: movie moving, beautiful film, and all my notes on like 166 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 2: the discussion part of this episode is just gonna be 167 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: me being like and then this scene which is really 168 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 2: good and has this really amazing commentary. 169 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 3: It's just a really good movie. I mean, it's just yeah, 170 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 3: it's wonderful. 171 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 4: Yeah. I did. When you were asking me for films, 172 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 4: I was trying to think of some of the like 173 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 4: lighter but like high quality worth talking about films, And 174 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 4: I think this film is a great introduction for a 175 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 4: lot of American audiences but yeah, I was real listening 176 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 4: to old episodes before this, and I was like, oh, 177 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 4: this is gonna be a hard one to rip on. 178 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 2: Well, just because we mostly do that on most episodes. 179 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 2: It's just because a lot of movies are horrid, yeah, 180 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 2: and they make it easy for us to dump on them. 181 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 2: But when the movie is really good, will be nice. 182 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 3: It was also really interesting seeing like how well we'll 183 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 3: talk about it, but like how collaboratively the story was built, 184 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 3: where the star of the film is also a writer 185 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 3: and is pulling from her own experience to build out 186 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 3: her character. And I just I'm just excited to talk 187 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: about it. I love collaboration with women. 188 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 2: This is great. You love to see it. 189 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 3: You just love to see it. 190 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: Let's take a quick break and then we'll come back 191 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 2: for the recap. Okay, here is the recap for Salt 192 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 2: of This Sea. We open on images of buildings being bulldozed, 193 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 2: people being removed from their homeland, images from the Nakba 194 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 2: of nineteen forty eight. Then we cut to the present 195 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: or the present of this film, which is, you know, 196 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 2: two thousand and eight. We meet Soya Tahani played by 197 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:59,439 Speaker 2: Suher Hamad A Brooklyn born Palestinian American woman who has 198 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 2: just a in the occupying, genocidal state that is Israel. 199 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: The Israeli officials are interrogating Soraya about why she's there, 200 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 2: about her name, her religion, her ethnic background. They strip 201 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 2: search her body, they rifle through her luggage, you know, 202 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 2: just put her through this all around degrading experience, and 203 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 2: finally she's released and allowed to go. Onward, we learn 204 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 2: that her grandfather was born in the Palestinian city of 205 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 2: Yafa before he was forcibly removed during the Nakpa and 206 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 2: displaced to Lebanon, where both of Soria's parents were born. 207 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 2: Her father recently passed away, which seems to be what 208 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: has inspired her to take this trip. She travels to 209 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 2: the city of Ramala in the occupied West Bank, where 210 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 2: she links up with her friend Karn, who I think 211 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,559 Speaker 2: is in like one or two scenes, and then she's 212 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:04,239 Speaker 2: I know, I kept being. 213 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 3: Like, Where's Where's Coronette, But then I kind of forgot 214 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 3: after a while because I just got into the other characters. 215 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 2: For because she goes to this restaurant. Sarah goes to 216 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 2: a restaurant with Karin with other people who are like 217 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 2: rude and entitled to the wait staff, and I was 218 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 2: just like, if this, if this is who Karen's hanging 219 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,679 Speaker 2: out with, I don't really I don't really care much 220 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 2: for her. And speaking of the there's a waiter at 221 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 2: this restaurant and we're like, hmm, I wonder if he's 222 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 2: gonna come up again later. He's too handsome not to 223 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 2: show back up. 224 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 4: Young Salah Bakri. 225 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 3: Ugh, right, this is like one of his breakout roles, right. 226 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 4: Yes, yes, that was something that I was so delighted 227 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,720 Speaker 4: the first time I saw it. I was like, look 228 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 4: at this little baby Salah Bakri. So like, sorry to 229 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 4: interrupt you, Caitlin, but no, please her listeners. Slav Backriy 230 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 4: is like a prolific Palestinian actor. You like, actually may 231 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 4: have seen him in some American works, nothing like super 232 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 4: notable on the American Well, actually, I take that back. 233 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 4: The film that got the most famous in the West 234 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 4: was The Band's Visit. He was in that, Oh okay, 235 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 4: But he's been in some smaller indie films from Europe 236 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 4: and the US and then in like every other Arab film. 237 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 4: He's a fantastic actor. He's an absolute sweetheart and he 238 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 4: is so hot. At every age too. And his father 239 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 4: is really hot and a great actor and a great 240 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,439 Speaker 4: director as well. But they have beautiful genes in the 241 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:40,680 Speaker 4: Bakery family. Oh and his brother too, Adam's an actor too. 242 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 3: So he's from like a Palestinian film family. Yes, yeah, cool, 243 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 3: I was, Yeah, Caitlin, I had the same thought as 244 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 3: you when he came in frame. I was like, if 245 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 3: that man doesn't come back, we've made a big mistake. 246 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 3: Because whatever movie language is so impressive in so many ways. 247 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: But sometimes when you see someone's that hot, you're like, Okay, 248 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 3: so I'm going to see this person again. Someone hot 249 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 3: and they have a little twinkle in their eye, see 250 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 3: you soon. 251 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah, he's so good at the twinkle, the little look. 252 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: Uh truly Okay, so we perceive him, as does soria 253 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 2: Then Soriah goes to a branch of the British Palestine 254 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 2: Bank where her grandfather had an account with three hundred 255 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 2: and fifteen Palestinian pounds in nineteen forty eight money we 256 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 2: will learn this is the equivalent of around fifteen thousand 257 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 2: US dollars. 258 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 3: And sixteen cents. I believe in. 259 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 2: Sixteen cent Yes, it is like fifteen thousand, five hundred 260 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: something something in sixteen cents, this exact amount will become 261 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 2: you'll understand why it's so important and a little bit. 262 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: But she tries to, you know, withdraw this money from 263 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 2: this account, but it turns out she can't access the 264 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: account because it's no longer considered to be valid since 265 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 2: it's from before nineteen forty eight. And she's like, okay, 266 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 2: that's bullshit. This bank still exists, so it's responsible for 267 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 2: this money that is rightfully mine, and the bank is 268 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 2: just kind of like, shrug, I don't know, come back 269 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 2: later and talk to our regional manager. So Soriah goes 270 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: and rents an apartment in Ramala. She returns to the 271 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 2: bank and speaks to the white British regional manager, who 272 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 2: basically says the same thing, that the account is invalid 273 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 2: because the Israeli Control Board had claimed that her father 274 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 2: was not a refugee, even though he was, but they 275 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: deemed the whole situation such that the account was invalid 276 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: and he couldn't access the money. And the bank manager's 277 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 2: very condescending and shitty about this whole thing. So Soriah 278 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: leaves and runs into that waiter from the restaurant. This 279 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 2: is a man named Ahmad played by Sala Bakri. She 280 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 2: just like gets in his car. She's like, can I 281 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 2: go with you wherever you're going? 282 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 3: Well, because she's kind of being like cat called and 283 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 3: I think is like a little bit uncomfortable. And then Yeah, 284 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 3: gets in a hot man's car nearby. 285 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, and he's like, no big deal, I'm just gonna 286 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,720 Speaker 2: go pick up my nephew. Come along, And then she 287 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 2: goes to his home and meets his family. They drive 288 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 2: around a little bit. He kind of like takes her 289 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 2: around so that she can explore her country. She tells 290 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 2: him about her grandfather's life in Yaffa pri Nakpa. He 291 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: tells her that he received a scholarship to study at 292 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 2: a university in Canada and he's just waiting on his 293 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: visa and he's like, oh, I can't wait to never 294 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 2: see another soldier again, referring to the IDF who on 295 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 2: their way back stops and antagonizes them. So we see 296 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 2: these soldiers making him strip down in the middle of 297 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: the street. More degrading experiences for them. Then Sayah applies 298 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 2: for a Palestinian passport. She's currently there on a two 299 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: week visa and is trying to be able to stay longer, 300 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 2: but she is denied a passport because of you know, 301 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 2: restrictive red tape that is real and forces. 302 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:34,639 Speaker 3: I have a quick question just to make sure I 303 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 3: was like understanding what was happening at the beginning correctly. 304 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 3: When she was going to Palestine. At the very beginning, 305 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 3: they determined that she could only be there for two 306 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,200 Speaker 3: weeks upon her arrival or did she know that already? 307 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 3: That was something I wasn't totally clear on. 308 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 2: I don't think the movie makes it especially clear. Maybe 309 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 2: if there's like contexts that you already have. 310 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 4: She has a visa, right because they asked to see 311 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 4: the so it must have. I would imagine it said 312 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 4: two weeks. 313 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 3: That she yeah, and that she was going to try 314 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 3: to get it expanded. Yeah, okay, I just wanted to 315 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 3: make sure I didn't miss something because I watched it 316 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 3: twice and I was like, is it a surprise that 317 00:18:13,359 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 3: it's two weeks? Anyways? 318 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 2: International travel is just confusing. 319 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 3: It's just an absurdly short amount of time as well. 320 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. 321 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:25,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, visas are are crazy, and sometimes you forget 322 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,119 Speaker 4: when you're having an American passport. 323 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 2: I take it for granted, so hard totally. 324 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't remember. Sorry, this is an aside. I 325 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,360 Speaker 4: literally just watched this today and I can't remember. Does 326 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 4: she meet with a lawyer to talk about the visa? 327 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 2: I'm not exactly sure who she's speaking to. She's in 328 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: some sort of official office with a woman. No, it's 329 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 2: a man, Okay, with a man. 330 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 4: Sorry, I'm just I'm thinking about somebody's cameo and I'm like, 331 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 4: is this the movie or never mind? 332 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think maybe she goes to like in office 333 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 2: of the Palestinian Authority or something, because that's where. 334 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 3: She gets advised by somebody. But yeah, I also wasn't 335 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 3: clear who exactly like she was seeking out. 336 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 4: I'm like scrubbing through the film right now. 337 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,880 Speaker 2: But anyway, So soria and Emma talk about living in 338 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 2: Palestine versus leaving. They talk about how to deal with 339 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,159 Speaker 2: the Israeli occupying forces. They kind of butt heads about it. 340 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 2: We can talk about like the more specifics of their 341 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 2: conversation later if we want, but they're like not super 342 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 2: in agreement on like how to deal with the occupation. 343 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 2: Then Soriah tells Amud and his friend Marwin, who is 344 00:19:43,160 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 2: an aspiring filmmaker, I. 345 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 3: Love my favorite character, My favorite character. I love him. 346 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 4: I love it. 347 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 3: He's like, I'm down, I'm down for anything. Let's go. 348 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:54,119 Speaker 3: We're gonna rob a bank. Let's go. 349 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 2: Oh you want to do a bank heist? I'm in. 350 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 3: Yes, he is my favorite character. 351 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 2: I liked him until he decides to stay. Does he 352 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 2: decide to stay with that Israeli woman? 353 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 3: Yes, that is where he does lose. 354 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 355 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 3: Early scenes with him, though, I just appreciated. I just 356 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 3: love a character who is very passionate about anything and 357 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 3: also is constantly kind of cock blocking the main couple 358 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 3: of the business, which is his role for the first 359 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 3: like two thirds of the movie. And then yes, when 360 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 3: the Israeli women becomes involved, you're like, oh, you really 361 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 3: had me in the first half. But yeah, he's a treat. 362 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 2: He is third wheeling them a bit. 363 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean many such cases. I've done that so 364 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 3: many times, where you're just like, these people want to 365 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 3: fuck Well, I'm here, too bad, I'm here, So what 366 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 3: are we gonna do? 367 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 4: You're my only friend? 368 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 3: Yes, well I also robbed the bank, so you have 369 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 3: to talk to me. 370 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:48,639 Speaker 2: Yeah. 371 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 4: Yeah. They had to find some way to get rid 372 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 4: of him. Story. I guess that was the best way 373 00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 4: to do it. 374 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, right, anyway, So we meet him, and so Riah 375 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: tells Emmud and Marwin that she wants to basically rob 376 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 2: the bank, the one that's supposed to have her grandfather's money, 377 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: though it's not really a robbery because she would just 378 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 2: be reclaiming the money that belongs to her and her family. 379 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: Marwin is in, He's like sure. 380 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 3: He doesn't have a single question. He's like, this is 381 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 3: going to be great tape. Let's go. 382 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 4: Yeah. 383 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 2: He's like, I'll get some good b roll out of this. 384 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,159 Speaker 2: So he's in, but Emmud is out. He's like, I 385 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 2: got my future to think about. I'm going to university 386 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 2: in Canada. I can't be robbing banks. But then Emmod 387 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:42,399 Speaker 2: and Soriyah lose their restaurant jobs because they like protest 388 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: to their boss who is not paying them. And Emmod 389 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 2: is particularly upset because he reveals that his visa to 390 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 2: go to Canada was denied, and Sarah's like, well, you know, 391 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 2: it's okay, we can apply for another visa. But it 392 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 2: turns out this is the fourth time he's been refused 393 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 2: and probably indefinitely anytime he tries that would be the case. 394 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 2: So he agrees now to participate in this heist as 395 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 2: long as they do it Soria's way with guns, but 396 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,400 Speaker 2: no bullets because they don't want to hurt anybody. So 397 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 2: they make preparations and then Soria Ahmad and Marwin go 398 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 2: through with this you know, quote unquote bank robbery aka 399 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 2: soriah taking back what's rightfully hers that like fifteen thousand, 400 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 2: five hundred seventy two dollars and sixteen cents. 401 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 3: Plus interest, which is such a great Oh, I just 402 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 3: love that one. 403 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:46,399 Speaker 2: Was so much great tag to the scene, yesh the 404 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 2: equivalent of like what three hundred and fifteen Palestinian pounds 405 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 2: would be in two thousand and eight American money, So 406 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 2: that's what she takes. They escape, and they cross into 407 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 2: the occupying state of Israel disguised as Jewish people with 408 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 2: yamakas and stars of David and like pro America propaganda T. 409 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 3: Shirts, the T shirt, the T shirt, the whole. 410 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 4: Sort of hiding their identity thing with like Silas wearing 411 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 4: a Yamaica with Israeli an American flags on it, and yeah, 412 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 4: I forget what his T shirt says, but like clearly 413 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 4: they went to some like weird tourists. 414 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 3: It's very like peer peer T shirt, but I have 415 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,960 Speaker 3: it written down somewhere, but yeah, it's like indicating like 416 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 3: we've got you Israel love Oh America, don't worry, Israel's 417 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 3: behind you. And there's a picture of like a fighter 418 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 3: plane on it. It's just so fucking scary. 419 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 4: Yeah, And they have the star of David in the 420 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 4: car and. 421 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 3: Right as like an air freshener. Something I really appreciated 422 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 3: about this movie is that in terms of like indicting 423 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 3: American culture specifically, but just Western culture in general, it 424 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 3: equally which we're about to get to, but like equally 425 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 3: is not afraid to indict Western liberalism as well. In 426 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 3: I think my favorite most infuriating moment of the movie, 427 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 3: which we'll get to in a second, but the T 428 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 3: shirt was very funny. 429 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah for sure. 430 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 3: And it works too because IDF soldiers are dumb as rocks. 431 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're like, looks good to me, come on through. 432 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 3: That's the sentence I agree with. 433 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 2: And so these characters go to I believe, Jerusalem, and 434 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:32,720 Speaker 2: they're able to move about more freely because they are 435 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 2: not in occupied land and they are being perceived as Jewish, 436 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,120 Speaker 2: so no one's really giving them trouble. 437 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,760 Speaker 3: But still not completely safely too, which is I think 438 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 3: another thing that's donned super well is like even when 439 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 3: they are quote unquote in the clear, they're never quite 440 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:49,680 Speaker 3: in the clear. 441 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 2: They're still alluming threat over them for sure. Yeah. They 442 00:24:54,960 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 2: head to the coast, they swim and frolic in the sea. 443 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 2: Then they go to Yafa, to the home where Soria's 444 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 2: grandfather lived before he was forcibly removed during the Nakba. 445 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 2: A young Israeli woman she lives in this house now. 446 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,919 Speaker 2: She invites them in and lets them stay for a while, 447 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:25,199 Speaker 2: and she's friendly quote unquote, and she has mugs that 448 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 2: say things like end the occupation, and she's talking to 449 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 2: them and saying things like, yeah, I hate all this violence. 450 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 2: We all just want peace, right. 451 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 4: Oh my god? Uh liberal zionis exactly. 452 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 2: So as time goes on, and like soriah asks her 453 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: what she did with her grandfather's furniture, and she wants 454 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 2: this woman to admit that her family stole this house 455 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 2: from Soria's family, but this woman refuses, and she calls 456 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 2: the cops on them, so Soria and Ammad leave. 457 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 3: Like this scene is so infuriating, but it's so good. 458 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 3: It's so good and just stripping back this character that 459 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 3: you're like, I guess if you if you have no 460 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 3: like knowledge of what the dynamics between these characters could be, 461 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 3: you could be lured into this false sense of security. 462 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 3: But the second it and because I feel like that's 463 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 3: like a very liberal Zionis and just liberal thing to 464 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 3: do in general, is like, oh yes I have quote 465 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,959 Speaker 3: unquote the right opinion. But the second it threatens me personally, 466 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 3: fuck you, I'm out, this is mine and I'm calling 467 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 3: the cops on you. Like It's just done so quickly 468 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 3: and so effectively. And yeah, yeah, why did my favorite 469 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 3: characters stay back with her? 470 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 2: I don't know. Yeah, they're like flirting a little bit 471 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 2: and they seem to be connecting, but it's just like Marwin, 472 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 2: come on, like, what are you doing? She's she's no good. 473 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 3: My head canon as he went undercover and he was 474 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 3: gonna bust the whole family, He's gonna bust the case 475 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 3: wide open. 476 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 2: And get back the house for Soriat. That would be nice. 477 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 3: I have no proof. I just want to believe the 478 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,159 Speaker 3: best in him. But yeah, he kind of disappears after this. 479 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Emmad wants to go to, oh, I forget 480 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 2: how to pronounce this city's name. 481 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 4: I think it's Joweima. There's actually I don't know if 482 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 4: you remember the bit with the storekeeper. Yeah, she's trying 483 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 4: to change her pronounce they're trying to find it, so 484 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,920 Speaker 4: she's trying to change her pronunciation because I think he's 485 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,680 Speaker 4: an Israeli shopkeeper. So she's like, maybe pronounce it differently, 486 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 4: but she makes it like a yo mama joke. 487 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 3: Yes, which is like, oh, right, this movie came out 488 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 3: in two thousand and eight. 489 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 4: Right, jo mama, Yeah, I think she says at one point, Yeah, yeah, 490 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 4: Dowema or Dewaima. Yeah. 491 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 3: But like the point is that the name of the 492 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 3: city has been changed by Israel, and that's why he 493 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 3: doesn't know what they're talking about. 494 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: Yes, this city is where Ahmad's family is originally from, 495 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 2: soh that's why he wants to go there, and he 496 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: and Soria travel there once they figure out where it 497 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 2: is and what it's called. Now they arrive, the buildings 498 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 2: have been abandoned, if not destroyed. They find an abandoned 499 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:21,719 Speaker 2: house to stay in. They smooch a little bit, then 500 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 2: they head to a nearby town to buy a mattress 501 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 2: and some other like homey touches. But a cop or 502 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 2: soldier or some occupier starts to hassle Ahmad when he's outside, 503 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 2: so Sarah comes up to him and like saves him 504 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 2: in Spanish, which makes the cop assume that they're tourists, 505 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 2: so he lets them go, but Amad is like, don't 506 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 2: do that again, Like we could both end up in 507 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 2: jail because her visa is now expired and he has 508 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 2: no documentation that allows him to be there at all. 509 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,600 Speaker 2: So they go back to the abandoned house where they've 510 00:28:58,640 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 2: kind of made camp. They stay there they discuss possible 511 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 2: futures of theirs, but the next morning, an Israeli teacher 512 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:10,840 Speaker 2: who's like on a field trip with his students finds them. 513 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 2: He spews a bunch of you know, Zionist propaganda and 514 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 2: says that they can't camp there because it's a national park, 515 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 2: so they have to leave again. And then there's a 516 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 2: moment when Ahmad is alone and two cops approach him. 517 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 2: Sarah tries to save him again, saying, oh, I know him. 518 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 2: He works at the kibbutz where I stay, but the 519 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 2: cops continue to harass Ahmad and the situation escalates, and 520 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:44,440 Speaker 2: then he and Sarah are both arrested but like also separated, 521 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 2: and Soria is taken to the airport to be deported 522 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 2: back to the US, and the movie ends much the 523 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 2: same way that it started, with Soria being interrogated at 524 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 2: the airport by occupiers. They ask where she's from. She says, 525 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 2: I'm from here. I'm from Palestine and I've been here 526 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 2: all my life. That passport you're holding in your hands, 527 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 2: you think it might be an American passport, but it's 528 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 2: actually a Palestinian passport, And this is my home and 529 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:18,320 Speaker 2: you stole it. Is basically this sentiment, and that's how 530 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 2: the movie ends. So let's take a quick break and 531 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 2: we'll come back to discuss. 532 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 3: And we're back. We're back where to begin. As upsetting 533 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 3: as it is, I think, just like even just like 534 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:47,640 Speaker 3: in a filmmaking sense, the rug pull at the end 535 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 3: of this movie is so devastating and so effective, because again, 536 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:57,200 Speaker 3: it's just like, it's so hard to build a love 537 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 3: story that is genuinely of people, people who are so 538 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 3: different that you're really really rooting for, and seeing this 539 00:31:05,160 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 3: political violence and occupations separate them in a way that 540 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 3: logistically you're like, of course that happened, but it's so devastating. 541 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 3: It's just like I just the ending really got me. 542 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 3: And I wish I saw this movie when it came 543 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,480 Speaker 3: out when I was in high school, because I feel 544 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 3: like this is like an ideal movie to show to 545 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 3: younger people, to demonstrate the consequences and yeah, where where 546 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 3: do we start? 547 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 4: Well, I'll say kind of to that point. Yeah, one 548 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 4: of the reasons I picked this movie a I think 549 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 4: it's incredible. I really love it, but I do I 550 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 4: think I mentioned it earlier. I think it's a really 551 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 4: good endpoint for American audiences without being one of these 552 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 4: Arab films made for American audiences. I think it's made 553 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 4: for everyone. And I say specifically American in part because 554 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:00,120 Speaker 4: the character of Soraya is like from New York City, 555 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 4: are from Brooklyn, I've ever heard of it, But yeah, 556 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 4: it tells a story in this way that is perfect 557 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 4: for young audiences, for people, I mean, I hope kind 558 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 4: of at this point this is not really new to people, 559 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 4: but for people who are learning or unlearning something, I 560 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 4: think this is a really great way to start through film. 561 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 4: And I actually screened this in Brooklyn last year, and 562 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 4: I did receive that as feedback. I had a friend 563 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 4: who brought someone he was seeing at the time who 564 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 4: was kind of a American liberal Zionist type person, the 565 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,800 Speaker 4: kind of person who's like, oh, yeah, the fighting should end, 566 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 4: everyone should live in peace, and didn't understand there's more happening. 567 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:50,800 Speaker 4: It's bigger and worse and more complicated than that. And 568 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 4: apparently he left with like a lot of new insight 569 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 4: and empathy for the Palestinian people. 570 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: So yeah, I just wanted to shout out the director 571 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:04,160 Speaker 2: of bit More, Anne Marie Jasser, because this movie is 572 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 2: the first feature film directed by a Palestinian woman. 573 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 3: I'm sorry that that happened in two thousand and eight, 574 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 3: but amazing that it happened. Yes, I was curious. This 575 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 3: also was And honestly I don't pay close enough attention 576 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 3: to the Oscars, but I know that every country gets 577 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 3: to submit one film to be considered for Best International 578 00:33:26,040 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 3: Film at the Oscars, and this was Palestine' submission to 579 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 3: that year's Oscar Awards for the Academy Award for Best 580 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:38,240 Speaker 3: Foreign Language Film. So I wanted to just triple check 581 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 3: sort of what films were nominated that year because this 582 00:33:41,960 --> 00:33:47,360 Speaker 3: film was submitted but not ultimately nominated, right, and so 583 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 3: this would have been for the eighty first Academy Awards, 584 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 3: so for the year two thousand and eight. And while 585 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 3: it was not ultimately nominated, an Israeli movie was, and 586 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 3: that is I think it's just worth calling out a 587 00:34:02,920 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 3: very common occurrence in the Academy Awards. Israeli movies are 588 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 3: very very very often nominated for Best International Film, which 589 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 3: given liberal or not liberal US politics, shouldn't be surprising, 590 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 3: but is worth mentioning. 591 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 2: Well, the other thing about the director is that she 592 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 2: has so much award and festival recognition for her films, 593 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 2: but because she's a Palestinian woman who directs movies about 594 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 2: Arab people, she's like not a big name in Hollywood, 595 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 2: so she doesn't get the recognition she deserves in this 596 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 2: film industry here in the US. But if you look 597 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 2: at her list of accolades and awards and festival recognition, 598 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 2: it's like so much stuff. It's just not like a 599 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:55,800 Speaker 2: mayor like Hollywood. 600 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, this is really common with Arab filmmakers or car 601 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 4: the board. The Palestine is a particularly strong filmmaking country 602 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,800 Speaker 4: and some of arguably the best filmmakers in the region 603 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 4: come from there, not just Addmiry Jasser, but like Ilia 604 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 4: Suliman and Hani Abu Asad, like speaking of like the oscars. 605 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 4: Ilia Suliman was the first had the first Palestinian film 606 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 4: ever submitted, which was not until two thousand and two, 607 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:30,959 Speaker 4: and Hanyabusad had the first nominated Palestinian film. But yeah, 608 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 4: none of the three of them are highly recognized in 609 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:40,640 Speaker 4: the Western world. And sorry, this is something that frustrates 610 00:35:40,680 --> 00:35:43,680 Speaker 4: me so much every day and as a reason I 611 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:48,280 Speaker 4: started the Cinema Arabias screening series I do at Nighthawk Cinema. 612 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:53,440 Speaker 4: I get so frustrated because so many cinephiles, movie lovers 613 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,799 Speaker 4: and people in the film industry have never seen an 614 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 4: Arab film and don't know who any of the big 615 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 4: names are. Like Elia Suliman should be like an autur 616 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 4: that you know, you know what I mean, Like that 617 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:09,320 Speaker 4: is like at every and his films have been at 618 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 4: all the big European film festivals and whatnot, and he 619 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 4: has the energy of like an Ocher French filmmaker, but 620 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 4: people don't know his name and it drives me nuts. 621 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:26,000 Speaker 4: I know exactly why this is the case, Just centuries 622 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 4: of vilification in the media and uh, you know, anti 623 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:36,040 Speaker 4: Arab racism and stuff like that. But but yeah, getting 624 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 4: back to Anne Marie, she deserves well do we want 625 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 4: the approval of the Academy? Do we really care? 626 00:36:42,400 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 3: But well, yeah, sure she did. 627 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 4: There's all the accolades regardless, Yes. 628 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 3: Any trophy. Yeah, you're just like the award body that 629 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 3: rewarded Green Book, you know who knows. 630 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 2: Very good point. 631 00:36:56,320 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 4: The Academy awards too, don't leave a lot of space 632 00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 4: for international cinema in general. I don't know if people 633 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 4: know this. People don't have a lot of understanding of 634 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 4: how the film industry works in general, starting with the 635 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:10,920 Speaker 4: fact that you have to submit your film to the Oscars. 636 00:37:10,920 --> 00:37:14,879 Speaker 4: It's not just every film ever that gets is in 637 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:15,480 Speaker 4: the running. 638 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 3: And there's like particularly like screening, very like sort of 639 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,040 Speaker 3: ridiculous screening rules where it has to run in a 640 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 3: certain place for a certain amount of time. 641 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:24,319 Speaker 2: Is that right? 642 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:28,200 Speaker 4: Yeah? I think it needs in New York or maybe 643 00:37:28,239 --> 00:37:29,880 Speaker 4: it's just an American run or a New York in 644 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 4: an LA run, but it needs a proper theatrical run. 645 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,319 Speaker 4: It can't be a film festival, it can't be a 646 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:38,759 Speaker 4: one off screening and That's why sometimes you'll see a 647 00:37:38,760 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 4: film that will just like randomly be at like a 648 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 4: weird theater for a week in the fall, just to qualify. Yeah, 649 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,960 Speaker 4: but a lot of international films don't get that opportunity 650 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 4: because they don't have distributors in the US. And then 651 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,280 Speaker 4: on top of that, they're more likely to be picked 652 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 4: up by little indie distributors that don't have the money 653 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,360 Speaker 4: to submitting to the OSCAR is past so much money, 654 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:06,080 Speaker 4: plus you have to run a campaign on top of that, 655 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,240 Speaker 4: and then yeah, it's like the one that in what's 656 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:13,799 Speaker 4: now called Best International Feature Film category is really the 657 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:18,959 Speaker 4: one place and every country gets to submit one. Yeah, right, 658 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:22,800 Speaker 4: I don't know, I am. I think the Academy Awards 659 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 4: should just accept that they're like an American award body 660 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 4: and lean into it. But hand you over. 661 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:35,120 Speaker 3: No, I mean, I think you're totally right where it 662 00:38:35,239 --> 00:38:38,839 Speaker 3: just feels like if folks were truly that surprised when 663 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:44,720 Speaker 3: a non American or English movie one Best Feature five 664 00:38:44,800 --> 00:38:48,680 Speaker 3: years ago, then you're not a global film festival, like 665 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 3: be honest with yourselves, you know. Yeah, I was happy 666 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 3: to see and it makes me want to see more 667 00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 3: of anry Jascer's movies that this seems to be the 668 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:03,319 Speaker 3: beginning of a very fruitful collaborative relationship with her and 669 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 3: Salah Bakri. I guess he's in all of her features, 670 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:09,960 Speaker 3: all three of them, so they're besties. I just love 671 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 3: when someone's like, and here's my guy. Yeah, he's her 672 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 3: DiCaprio and she. 673 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:18,960 Speaker 4: Includes his father in the film. Waship that the two 674 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:21,840 Speaker 4: of them play a father son duo in the film. 675 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 2: Very nice. Yeah, that rocks. Also. I didn't make this 676 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:28,239 Speaker 2: connection un till just now, but I recently saw the 677 00:39:28,239 --> 00:39:33,240 Speaker 2: film Omar, another Palestini movie from twenty thirteen. The titular 678 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:36,120 Speaker 2: character Omar is played by Adam Bakri. 679 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:36,959 Speaker 3: Oh his brother. 680 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's his brother, who. 681 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:43,440 Speaker 2: Is also so hot, like ridiculously handsome. I know we 682 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:45,759 Speaker 2: were just talking about that, but I didn't put the 683 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 2: two and two together that that's him. So now I 684 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:53,400 Speaker 2: know all the dots are connected. Very handsome family. We 685 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 2: love a hot. 686 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:58,919 Speaker 4: Family, very handsome, very talented family. Yeah. I know their 687 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:01,320 Speaker 4: father directed some films. 688 00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:02,640 Speaker 3: I was seeing that too. 689 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,680 Speaker 4: Yeah yeah, I don't know if Adam has directed anything, 690 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:08,920 Speaker 4: but anyway, very talented family. 691 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:12,000 Speaker 2: I also want to shout out the actor who plays 692 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 2: Soraya yes Suhara Hamad, who, much like her character, her 693 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 2: parents are Palestinian refugees. She was born in Jordan and 694 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:26,640 Speaker 2: then her family relocated to Brooklyn when she was five, 695 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 2: I believe, and then later Staten Island. She's a poet 696 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:34,000 Speaker 2: and author, a political activist. She obviously acted in this movie, 697 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:36,960 Speaker 2: but she's not necessarily like an actor by trade, although 698 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:39,520 Speaker 2: you wouldn't know because she gives such a great performance 699 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:42,040 Speaker 2: in this movie. But this is kind of one of 700 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:45,480 Speaker 2: the only film roles she's done where she's like in 701 00:40:45,520 --> 00:40:48,359 Speaker 2: a fiction film playing a character kind of thing. She's 702 00:40:48,400 --> 00:40:51,000 Speaker 2: done like narration for other things. 703 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 3: But she's also won a ton of awards for like 704 00:40:54,280 --> 00:40:57,960 Speaker 3: her writing. Yeah, exactly, yes, Jack all trades, but yeah, 705 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:01,920 Speaker 3: I mean, all of the performances in this movie are 706 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:04,319 Speaker 3: are so good, which is wonderful because you know, the 707 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,680 Speaker 3: movie doesn't work without them. But the I think, especially 708 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:12,960 Speaker 3: like the chemistry between the two main characters is so well. 709 00:41:13,000 --> 00:41:15,239 Speaker 3: I guess I'm curious what people thought of that, because 710 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 3: I'm always sort of blown away when I'm very pulled 711 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:21,160 Speaker 3: into a story. But I like this relationship so much 712 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:26,399 Speaker 3: because you're pulled into their friendship connection first, and it's 713 00:41:26,400 --> 00:41:30,120 Speaker 3: so clear that they understand each other as people, and 714 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 3: the moment that they're meeting is so important that it 715 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,680 Speaker 3: just makes sense that it grows into this romance because 716 00:41:36,719 --> 00:41:39,000 Speaker 3: they're both so beautiful. So you're like, well, at some 717 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,280 Speaker 3: point you should kiss. 718 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 4: Like, yeah, the two hot people have to have to kiss. 719 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:46,440 Speaker 4: That's just the rules. 720 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:49,200 Speaker 3: And this movie is not afraid to make the hot 721 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 3: people kiss, and I appreciate that, but I just really, 722 00:41:51,680 --> 00:41:53,719 Speaker 3: I mean, there are so many there's a number of 723 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:59,160 Speaker 3: conversations between them before they get together that just I mean, 724 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:01,840 Speaker 3: I'm yeah, I'm curious what you both felt about it, 725 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:04,960 Speaker 3: but how they are both to some extent representative of 726 00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:11,080 Speaker 3: very different Palestinian experiences. You know, where Soriah wants nothing 727 00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:14,680 Speaker 3: more than to stay and she can't, and Mahmad wants 728 00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:17,920 Speaker 3: nothing more than to leave and he can't. And they 729 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:21,480 Speaker 3: both love Palestine and that is not that is a 730 00:42:21,600 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 3: core thing that they agree on, but their experiences of 731 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 3: Palestine are so different. And it's a really beautiful friendship 732 00:42:29,719 --> 00:42:33,520 Speaker 3: to watch develop first, which is why when it turns 733 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:35,799 Speaker 3: into a romance and even when she's like, should I 734 00:42:35,800 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 3: have a baby? I'm like, yeah, you probably should like 735 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 3: those more of these people. 736 00:42:42,719 --> 00:42:45,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, they definitely could have gone down the route of 737 00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 4: like because they become friends and such like a sudden 738 00:42:50,200 --> 00:42:53,359 Speaker 4: way where like they see each other and then she 739 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 4: like sees him in his car and she just like 740 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:56,680 Speaker 4: gets in and it's like she's like. 741 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:58,840 Speaker 2: You're my friend now, by the way, Yeah, exactly. 742 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,759 Speaker 4: You know, a worse film would have been like I 743 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:05,160 Speaker 4: get into your car and we're in love now, right, 744 00:43:05,320 --> 00:43:09,240 Speaker 4: But they really she gives them some time to flesh 745 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:13,160 Speaker 4: out their connection and yeah, their friendship. Like you said, 746 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:16,600 Speaker 4: I think it's a great film about the representation of 747 00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 4: the diaspora experience, and that's a whole complicated thing, like 748 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:29,120 Speaker 4: this longing for home, but you come from a situation 749 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:33,160 Speaker 4: of privilege compared to the people back home, and then 750 00:43:33,440 --> 00:43:38,759 Speaker 4: especially for Palestinians who are pretty effectively stuck, it's I 751 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:40,920 Speaker 4: don't really have much to say about it. It's a 752 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:44,640 Speaker 4: situation that I am familiar with, but my situation is 753 00:43:44,960 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 4: much different than the Palestinian situation. I do have the 754 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:54,840 Speaker 4: ability to go back to some degree, but there's always 755 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:56,359 Speaker 4: this push and pull, and I see it a lot, 756 00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:00,800 Speaker 4: especially whenever things get bad in places like Paulus Signer 757 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:05,120 Speaker 4: or Lebanon. It creates a tension between the two people. 758 00:44:05,400 --> 00:44:08,719 Speaker 4: So it's nice to see it enacted on screen like that, 759 00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,480 Speaker 4: And I think it's an important conversation to have. Usually 760 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:15,000 Speaker 4: you see one or the other, what to see it together? 761 00:44:15,960 --> 00:44:18,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, what Really the scene that really struck me is 762 00:44:18,520 --> 00:44:23,879 Speaker 2: when they were discussing how she wants to be there 763 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:26,960 Speaker 2: because this is her home and this is where her 764 00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:29,719 Speaker 2: family's from, and she feels this connection to this place 765 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,480 Speaker 2: even though she hasn't spent time here prior to this. 766 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:34,960 Speaker 2: She grew up in the US, but you know she's 767 00:44:35,040 --> 00:44:38,640 Speaker 2: drawn to this place because this is where her roots are. Meanwhile, 768 00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:41,799 Speaker 2: Emma is like, you know, he's disillusioned with living in 769 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:48,680 Speaker 2: this occupied place, under this occupation. And the conversation they 770 00:44:48,719 --> 00:44:53,000 Speaker 2: have where he's like, don't tell them the truth about 771 00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:55,240 Speaker 2: why you're here, Like you should have lied and said 772 00:44:55,320 --> 00:44:59,239 Speaker 2: that you're visiting Jewish friends, because you know, telling the 773 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:03,319 Speaker 2: truth makes their job easier in their job being like 774 00:45:03,719 --> 00:45:07,680 Speaker 2: oppressing Palestinians. And she says, well, why should I lie? 775 00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:11,040 Speaker 2: Like all we have is the truth, All we have 776 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:13,720 Speaker 2: is our truth, and he's like, you know, the truth 777 00:45:13,840 --> 00:45:16,799 Speaker 2: never helped anyone here, Like, look around, they've won. 778 00:45:17,320 --> 00:45:20,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, he basically is like grow up. 779 00:45:21,280 --> 00:45:24,279 Speaker 2: Like open your eyes, look around you. But like I 780 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:26,880 Speaker 2: see where both of them are coming from. You know, 781 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:30,719 Speaker 2: the way the scene just plays out is in their 782 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:35,000 Speaker 2: emotions and all of that is just really impressive and moving. 783 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:38,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, I really appree. Again, just like I feel like 784 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:42,920 Speaker 3: her writing is so specific and the performance is just elevated. 785 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:47,920 Speaker 3: But how we fully understand how all three of the 786 00:45:47,960 --> 00:45:50,359 Speaker 3: main characters really feel. I love that they're all so 787 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:54,440 Speaker 3: strongly motivated to rob a bank for three very different reasons, 788 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:57,839 Speaker 3: and like that is so hard. You don't get that 789 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:01,480 Speaker 3: in Oceans eleven. You just don't. Some people are like, well, 790 00:46:01,480 --> 00:46:02,799 Speaker 3: I don't know, I guess I'll do it, But like 791 00:46:02,880 --> 00:46:06,320 Speaker 3: we know why they're there. They're all doing a common 792 00:46:06,360 --> 00:46:09,480 Speaker 3: goal for a particular reason, and no one is presented 793 00:46:09,600 --> 00:46:12,560 Speaker 3: as like they're doing it for the wrong reason. This 794 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:14,759 Speaker 3: character is doing it for the right reason. We're just 795 00:46:14,880 --> 00:46:18,239 Speaker 3: given the context of why, and they all like and 796 00:46:18,280 --> 00:46:24,600 Speaker 3: respect each other and work together even when they think 797 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:26,760 Speaker 3: what the other person is doing is reckless or stupid. 798 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:31,000 Speaker 3: I feel like all three characters, but particularly in mod 799 00:46:31,160 --> 00:46:34,200 Speaker 3: and Soriya both have moments where I mean, with I 800 00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:38,040 Speaker 3: mod it's at the restaurant with Soya, it's at her 801 00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:45,400 Speaker 3: grandfather's house where they cannot contain their emotion anymore because 802 00:46:45,440 --> 00:46:49,440 Speaker 3: it's just it's too much, it's too upsetting, and I 803 00:46:49,440 --> 00:46:51,759 Speaker 3: feel like, again, a lesser movie would have the other 804 00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:57,000 Speaker 3: characters be angry with them, but there's just like such 805 00:46:57,000 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 3: a fundamental understanding, even though they're under standings and experiences 806 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:06,000 Speaker 3: in Palestine are quite different, like Emma doesn't need to 807 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:08,640 Speaker 3: ask why were you so mad back there? 808 00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:08,880 Speaker 4: You know? 809 00:47:09,360 --> 00:47:14,839 Speaker 3: And even with I mean the limited exposure we get 810 00:47:14,880 --> 00:47:18,480 Speaker 3: to Israeli characters and certainly didn't need to have more 811 00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:21,000 Speaker 3: than we had. But I did appreciate again that the 812 00:47:21,800 --> 00:47:26,399 Speaker 3: writing took care to show a gradient of villainy and 813 00:47:26,440 --> 00:47:30,879 Speaker 3: not even like less so, but like different types of prejudice, 814 00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,560 Speaker 3: because I do feel like just in movies in general, 815 00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:41,319 Speaker 3: like liberal prejudice is not shown very often, or like 816 00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:45,000 Speaker 3: not shown well because it's like if you see it, 817 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:47,120 Speaker 3: you see it in like a right wing movie, and 818 00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:48,920 Speaker 3: at that point you're like, well, what, you know, why 819 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:51,799 Speaker 3: am I engaging with this at all? But I love 820 00:47:52,080 --> 00:47:54,560 Speaker 3: her writing so much because all of it is just 821 00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:55,360 Speaker 3: so organic. 822 00:47:56,040 --> 00:47:56,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. 823 00:47:56,920 --> 00:48:00,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, and the showing the liberal Zionis, I think is 824 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:04,560 Speaker 4: so it's so important. I won't mince words. Those people 825 00:48:04,680 --> 00:48:09,799 Speaker 4: drive me nuts. It's the kind of people who, yeah, 826 00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:14,399 Speaker 4: want there to peace, but don't understand what causes the war, 827 00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:18,160 Speaker 4: the violence, attention anyway, they don't recognize their own privilege 828 00:48:18,200 --> 00:48:24,200 Speaker 4: in society. Kind of people who condemn Netanyaho without investigating 829 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:29,040 Speaker 4: anything further, and they're really not part of me is 830 00:48:29,080 --> 00:48:33,480 Speaker 4: trying to like hold back because I don't know any publics. Yeah, 831 00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:36,400 Speaker 4: they're like not they're not helpful to the cause. And 832 00:48:36,440 --> 00:48:40,360 Speaker 4: that the same goes for like the American liberals in general. 833 00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:44,560 Speaker 4: But if we're speaking specifically on the the liberation of Palestine, 834 00:48:44,600 --> 00:48:48,480 Speaker 4: like holding hands is not what's gonna what's going to 835 00:48:48,520 --> 00:48:51,160 Speaker 4: free those people? Is that what's going to free any 836 00:48:51,200 --> 00:48:51,560 Speaker 4: of us? 837 00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:54,600 Speaker 2: And the way this character is handled in this like 838 00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:59,640 Speaker 2: kind of just larger situation as far as liberal Zionism goes, 839 00:48:59,719 --> 00:49:02,560 Speaker 2: which like kind of represented by this one character, this 840 00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:06,120 Speaker 2: Israeli woman who lives in the home that belongs to 841 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:09,640 Speaker 2: Soriah and her family, where like when they first go in, 842 00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:12,319 Speaker 2: oh she's friendly, Oh come on, in stay as long 843 00:49:12,360 --> 00:49:15,040 Speaker 2: as you'd like. Oh, what a horrible situation. This is 844 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:18,360 Speaker 2: all this violence. Everyone just wants peace, right except for 845 00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:22,399 Speaker 2: our leaders. And then she says something like, oh, your 846 00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:26,160 Speaker 2: grandfather left in nineteen forty eight. That's so sad. I 847 00:49:26,200 --> 00:49:28,880 Speaker 2: wish he had stayed. And it's like you're saying that 848 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:32,840 Speaker 2: as you're living in the house that your family stole 849 00:49:32,880 --> 00:49:35,680 Speaker 2: from him, So you don't wish that he's stayed. You 850 00:49:35,760 --> 00:49:39,880 Speaker 2: feel entitled to this stolen house. And then this like 851 00:49:40,040 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 2: fake allyship and this whole facade of being nice and 852 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:48,160 Speaker 2: friendly starts to unravel when Soriah very rightfully says like, 853 00:49:48,920 --> 00:49:52,040 Speaker 2: this is my home. It's actually for me to decide 854 00:49:52,080 --> 00:49:54,600 Speaker 2: if you get to stay here. And I say that 855 00:49:54,640 --> 00:49:59,120 Speaker 2: you can, but you need to acknowledge that this is 856 00:49:59,160 --> 00:50:01,920 Speaker 2: a stolen house. This is my house and you stole it, 857 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:06,520 Speaker 2: and this woman cannot do it. And she just says 858 00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:09,640 Speaker 2: nine to one one and she calls the cops instead. 859 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:10,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 860 00:50:10,520 --> 00:50:13,520 Speaker 3: Well, which is like such a widely applicable message too, 861 00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:17,440 Speaker 3: because it's like in the US, how many white families 862 00:50:17,480 --> 00:50:23,080 Speaker 3: are descended from thieves. Yeah, it's just she has big 863 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:26,839 Speaker 3: black square on Instagram energy where she wants to be 864 00:50:26,920 --> 00:50:29,360 Speaker 3: perceived as doing the right thing, but when it comes 865 00:50:29,400 --> 00:50:34,200 Speaker 3: to a personal action, she is like horrified to even 866 00:50:34,239 --> 00:50:37,640 Speaker 3: be asked, Like I thought that I don't know who 867 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:40,040 Speaker 3: the actor was, but just how flippant she was where 868 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:41,839 Speaker 3: she was like, well, of course not and if you try, 869 00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:44,319 Speaker 3: it's not going to work. And she's like juicing an 870 00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:47,200 Speaker 3: orange and it's just like walking past her and is 871 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:52,000 Speaker 3: just so it seems like annoyed that Soriah would even 872 00:50:52,120 --> 00:50:53,520 Speaker 3: ask a question. 873 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:57,200 Speaker 4: She did not expect her to be as headstrong as 874 00:50:57,239 --> 00:50:57,680 Speaker 4: she is. 875 00:50:58,640 --> 00:51:00,920 Speaker 3: Right, and I feel like that's so so like it's 876 00:51:01,280 --> 00:51:05,040 Speaker 3: a very liberal attitude. And now I'm projecting because I 877 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,960 Speaker 3: am like projecting this onto a lot of attitudes around 878 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:10,319 Speaker 3: the California fires right now. But you know, just the 879 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:13,040 Speaker 3: idea that like you should be grateful I let you inside. 880 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:15,880 Speaker 3: How dare you ask me a follow up question? How 881 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:18,120 Speaker 3: dare you ask me a valid question? How dare you 882 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:20,920 Speaker 3: say that this is actually yours when that is the truth. 883 00:51:21,440 --> 00:51:23,840 Speaker 3: And it's just like, well, the open door should have 884 00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:27,279 Speaker 3: been satisfactory. And if you irritate me from here on out, 885 00:51:27,440 --> 00:51:33,399 Speaker 3: I will be contacting the authorities. You're just like sink 886 00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:35,560 Speaker 3: into the ground, sink into the core of the earth. 887 00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:39,560 Speaker 2: Like it's just so, yeah, it's great representation of Allyship 888 00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:43,000 Speaker 2: that is very performative and only exists as long as 889 00:51:43,040 --> 00:51:48,200 Speaker 2: it's convenient for them. But they would never admit their 890 00:51:48,680 --> 00:51:53,560 Speaker 2: participation and complicity in, you know, the occupation and apartheid 891 00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:57,080 Speaker 2: that Israel is inflicting on the Palestinians. And as soon 892 00:51:57,120 --> 00:51:59,319 Speaker 2: as she's asked to do that, she just like can't 893 00:51:59,400 --> 00:52:04,960 Speaker 2: even admit that she's on stolen land and she freaks 894 00:52:04,960 --> 00:52:07,880 Speaker 2: the fuck out. And yeah, that's what we see time 895 00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:11,120 Speaker 2: and time again with this kind of brand of Zionism. 896 00:52:11,800 --> 00:52:14,080 Speaker 4: Also, like to go back to Jamie's original point about 897 00:52:14,280 --> 00:52:19,839 Speaker 4: seeing the levels of evilness. I think this is part 898 00:52:19,920 --> 00:52:23,520 Speaker 4: of the frustration I have with specifically liberal Zionists. Like 899 00:52:23,640 --> 00:52:28,120 Speaker 4: net Yaho's a monster, we can all agree on that, 900 00:52:28,280 --> 00:52:33,000 Speaker 4: but evil comes in all shapes and forms, and. 901 00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:34,640 Speaker 2: It's not so there's a spectrum. 902 00:52:35,160 --> 00:52:39,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, and real allyship, and like, if you're gonna fight 903 00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:42,560 Speaker 4: alongside people, you need to learn to recognize that. And 904 00:52:42,600 --> 00:52:45,920 Speaker 4: you can give people some level of grace as they 905 00:52:46,040 --> 00:52:48,840 Speaker 4: learn and unlearn things, but yeah, but you have to 906 00:52:48,840 --> 00:52:51,360 Speaker 4: recognize at some point that they could be really nice 907 00:52:52,120 --> 00:52:55,160 Speaker 4: to you to your face, say the right things, but 908 00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:57,000 Speaker 4: don't actually do the right things. 909 00:52:57,160 --> 00:52:58,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think this movie does a really good job 910 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:01,840 Speaker 2: of showing that's spectrum where, you know, you have a 911 00:53:01,840 --> 00:53:05,320 Speaker 2: bunch of scenes where Soria is either at the airport 912 00:53:05,680 --> 00:53:09,920 Speaker 2: or at the bank or some you know, interacting with 913 00:53:10,000 --> 00:53:17,879 Speaker 2: some IOF person and they are being openly hateful and 914 00:53:17,960 --> 00:53:24,440 Speaker 2: racist and antagonistic. And then you have this other version 915 00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:26,799 Speaker 2: of it with this you know woman who's living in 916 00:53:26,800 --> 00:53:29,600 Speaker 2: this stolen home. Then you have that teacher who comes 917 00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:33,799 Speaker 2: in at the end who's regurgitating the Zionist lie that 918 00:53:34,320 --> 00:53:37,600 Speaker 2: this land was empty and barren. We didn't steal it 919 00:53:37,600 --> 00:53:41,520 Speaker 2: from anyone, It was just here waiting for us. Then 920 00:53:41,560 --> 00:53:44,280 Speaker 2: you have the guy at the passport office who says 921 00:53:44,280 --> 00:53:47,120 Speaker 2: that he agrees with Soria and he's on her side, 922 00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:50,759 Speaker 2: but he's still denying her important documentation and he is 923 00:53:51,080 --> 00:53:56,560 Speaker 2: helping to uphold Zionist values via bureaucracy. So we see 924 00:53:56,560 --> 00:54:00,400 Speaker 2: all of these examples and different degrees of op Prussian 925 00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:02,759 Speaker 2: and systemic racism, and I think the movie does a 926 00:54:02,760 --> 00:54:05,960 Speaker 2: good job of showing that there are different versions of this, 927 00:54:06,560 --> 00:54:10,920 Speaker 2: but it's all under the same umbrella of Zionism and 928 00:54:11,000 --> 00:54:13,840 Speaker 2: apartheid and occupation. 929 00:54:14,480 --> 00:54:18,560 Speaker 4: One of the IOF or customs agents in the airport. 930 00:54:18,600 --> 00:54:22,160 Speaker 4: I can't remember exactly what they say first, but when 931 00:54:22,160 --> 00:54:25,000 Speaker 4: they're like asking her all these questions and they go, 932 00:54:25,120 --> 00:54:28,759 Speaker 4: it's for your safety, and it's like, but you know 933 00:54:28,880 --> 00:54:29,200 Speaker 4: it's not. 934 00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:33,760 Speaker 3: Yeah no, that opening scene and also just how many 935 00:54:33,800 --> 00:54:35,880 Speaker 3: times that opening scene is HARKing back to it and 936 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:40,239 Speaker 3: seeing Soria feel more and more empowered to be like, 937 00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:44,080 Speaker 3: fuck you, I am allowed to be here. It's so 938 00:54:44,239 --> 00:54:48,360 Speaker 3: frustrating to see those scenes where you know Sria shows 939 00:54:48,440 --> 00:54:50,160 Speaker 3: up and like she knows what she's in for, but 940 00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:54,200 Speaker 3: like experiencing it is very different. And I feel like, 941 00:54:54,640 --> 00:55:00,080 Speaker 3: especially her and Emod with this ongoing battle with getting 942 00:55:00,160 --> 00:55:03,239 Speaker 3: his visa to Canada approved, the thing that brings them 943 00:55:03,280 --> 00:55:06,600 Speaker 3: both into like we're not going to hurt anybody, but 944 00:55:06,840 --> 00:55:09,359 Speaker 3: we are going to get this money that I feel 945 00:55:09,360 --> 00:55:14,799 Speaker 3: like is so frequently ignored in a lot of situations 946 00:55:14,880 --> 00:55:19,240 Speaker 3: is both of them try every quote unquote like respectable 947 00:55:19,280 --> 00:55:21,919 Speaker 3: way to get this done. But the system has been 948 00:55:22,040 --> 00:55:24,799 Speaker 3: designed to deny them and designed to trap them, and 949 00:55:24,840 --> 00:55:28,480 Speaker 3: design to keep them apart from either their homeland or 950 00:55:28,520 --> 00:55:31,680 Speaker 3: from where they're trying to go, just from freedom in general. 951 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:36,600 Speaker 3: And I do appreciate that even though it's I mean 952 00:55:36,880 --> 00:55:39,799 Speaker 3: especially I think of like young people watching this is 953 00:55:39,840 --> 00:55:43,440 Speaker 3: like they both do everything they can in terms of 954 00:55:43,520 --> 00:55:46,600 Speaker 3: like this is how you accomplish this, but it's you know, 955 00:55:46,680 --> 00:55:49,840 Speaker 3: a mod's fourth time being rejected to do it in 956 00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:54,359 Speaker 3: the quote unquote correct way. Soriah's doing everything she can 957 00:55:54,440 --> 00:55:57,560 Speaker 3: in the two weeks she's been provided and is being 958 00:55:57,600 --> 00:56:01,400 Speaker 3: shut down in this very polite like shrud sorry, nothing 959 00:56:01,440 --> 00:56:04,960 Speaker 3: I can do. So when they arrive at like we 960 00:56:05,000 --> 00:56:08,840 Speaker 3: are just going to take what's ours, it's impossible not 961 00:56:08,920 --> 00:56:12,960 Speaker 3: to be on their side, Like it's just yeah. 962 00:56:12,000 --> 00:56:15,600 Speaker 4: And this is so honest to the actual situation. I 963 00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:19,279 Speaker 4: assume a lot of your listenership already knows about what's 964 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:22,560 Speaker 4: going on, But there are some really great documentaries out 965 00:56:22,600 --> 00:56:25,960 Speaker 4: there that just support this point, one of them being 966 00:56:26,000 --> 00:56:29,720 Speaker 4: Between Two Crossings about a young woman who gets accepted 967 00:56:29,719 --> 00:56:33,400 Speaker 4: into college and she lives in Gaza and she can't 968 00:56:33,400 --> 00:56:36,160 Speaker 4: get through either border and she hasks like all the 969 00:56:36,200 --> 00:56:41,279 Speaker 4: paperwork that goes into that, and the systems are Yeah, 970 00:56:41,320 --> 00:56:44,920 Speaker 4: even if someone doesn't believe that, like like if they 971 00:56:44,960 --> 00:56:48,960 Speaker 4: believe that, you know, the two Postinian territories, Gaza and 972 00:56:49,000 --> 00:56:53,040 Speaker 4: the West Bank are you know, they're not technically under 973 00:56:53,080 --> 00:56:58,680 Speaker 4: occupation whatever. The limitations of movement and the hoops people 974 00:56:58,760 --> 00:57:03,600 Speaker 4: have to jump through that they can't actually get through 975 00:57:04,320 --> 00:57:09,799 Speaker 4: is really heartbreaking and it never gets less impactful when 976 00:57:09,840 --> 00:57:13,399 Speaker 4: you see it on film, whether a fiction or documentary. 977 00:57:14,400 --> 00:57:18,760 Speaker 4: And it's the way that Israel controls everything. They control 978 00:57:18,840 --> 00:57:22,080 Speaker 4: the movement of everything into and out of these territories, 979 00:57:23,080 --> 00:57:26,520 Speaker 4: including the people. There's a really great film called two 980 00:57:26,600 --> 00:57:29,800 Speaker 4: hundred Meters from a couple of years ago about a 981 00:57:29,840 --> 00:57:35,640 Speaker 4: man who his wife has Israeli like residency or whatever 982 00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:39,880 Speaker 4: it's called. She's Palestinian, but she's part of the forty 983 00:57:39,880 --> 00:57:44,520 Speaker 4: eight and he does not. So she chooses to live 984 00:57:44,800 --> 00:57:49,680 Speaker 4: in what is technically Israel because their kids can go 985 00:57:49,760 --> 00:57:53,200 Speaker 4: to a better school, and he lives two hundred meters 986 00:57:53,240 --> 00:57:55,720 Speaker 4: away on the other side, and he can only get 987 00:57:55,720 --> 00:57:58,400 Speaker 4: through to see them when he has a work permit, 988 00:57:58,880 --> 00:58:02,800 Speaker 4: and sort of similarly robbing the bank. He's in a 989 00:58:02,800 --> 00:58:06,400 Speaker 4: situation where his child's in the hospital, so he'll do 990 00:58:06,480 --> 00:58:11,320 Speaker 4: anything possible to cross that border. But this is like, 991 00:58:12,080 --> 00:58:14,760 Speaker 4: it's not some sort of crazy fiction. It is just 992 00:58:15,120 --> 00:58:17,960 Speaker 4: the actual lived reality of a lot of people. 993 00:58:18,560 --> 00:58:21,480 Speaker 2: And then it goes without saying that the current reality 994 00:58:21,760 --> 00:58:26,320 Speaker 2: in Gaza is a holocaust that as we are recording 995 00:58:26,480 --> 00:58:30,520 Speaker 2: this episode, it's like the day that the ceasefire deal 996 00:58:30,840 --> 00:58:35,400 Speaker 2: was announced and we're waiting to see what is actually 997 00:58:35,480 --> 00:58:38,000 Speaker 2: going to be the result of that, if you know, 998 00:58:38,040 --> 00:58:41,240 Speaker 2: the occupying state that is Israel is going to honor 999 00:58:41,280 --> 00:58:43,920 Speaker 2: that because they have a history of you know not 1000 00:58:44,720 --> 00:58:51,120 Speaker 2: and still bombing in massacring people, and so yeah, just 1001 00:58:51,160 --> 00:58:53,880 Speaker 2: to provide context to our listeners as far as like 1002 00:58:54,160 --> 00:58:56,200 Speaker 2: what's going on in the world right now. As we 1003 00:58:56,280 --> 00:59:00,080 Speaker 2: are recording this episode and discussing this movie. 1004 00:59:00,080 --> 00:59:02,800 Speaker 4: I feel like I keep like we keep talking so 1005 00:59:02,920 --> 00:59:05,720 Speaker 4: much about like the real life politics that feed into 1006 00:59:05,720 --> 00:59:08,240 Speaker 4: this movie, which is so important. But I feel like 1007 00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:10,919 Speaker 4: part of it is because it's hard to because we're 1008 00:59:10,920 --> 00:59:13,720 Speaker 4: in this moment where we're a Palatins top of mind, 1009 00:59:14,000 --> 00:59:17,640 Speaker 4: it's hard to not talk about their reality, for sure. Yeah, 1010 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:20,200 Speaker 4: but I do something I do love about this movie. 1011 00:59:20,840 --> 00:59:22,920 Speaker 4: We've talked like about a lot of the heavy stuff, 1012 00:59:23,040 --> 00:59:27,840 Speaker 4: but it also is so sweet and funny. HM and 1013 00:59:27,840 --> 00:59:31,080 Speaker 4: Emory does really does a good job at balancing that 1014 00:59:31,200 --> 00:59:35,080 Speaker 4: and not just making something that could feel like tragedy porn. 1015 00:59:35,560 --> 00:59:39,200 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, like we're I think, like again a less 1016 00:59:39,200 --> 00:59:41,880 Speaker 3: thoughtful movie and also a movie not from a palace. 1017 00:59:41,920 --> 00:59:46,320 Speaker 3: Dan director would have probably harped on certain character elements 1018 00:59:46,560 --> 00:59:49,360 Speaker 3: or I feel like, as is so often in movies 1019 00:59:49,360 --> 00:59:54,680 Speaker 3: that skew towards tragedy porn, just not really write a character, yeah, 1020 00:59:54,680 --> 00:59:59,040 Speaker 3: and just define sort of this void like character by 1021 00:59:59,080 --> 01:00:04,160 Speaker 3: their trauma specifically, like they've got jokes, they're funny, like, 1022 01:00:04,840 --> 01:00:07,280 Speaker 3: and I just I don't know. I really do like 1023 01:00:07,320 --> 01:00:11,200 Speaker 3: the relationship between Sarah and Ahmad, where Ahmad can like 1024 01:00:11,480 --> 01:00:13,880 Speaker 3: loosen up around her a little bit, he can have 1025 01:00:13,960 --> 01:00:18,400 Speaker 3: some fun with her, and that she you know, in 1026 01:00:18,440 --> 01:00:20,400 Speaker 3: a way that like they're learning from each other in 1027 01:00:20,400 --> 01:00:23,560 Speaker 3: a way that doesn't feel the way that you see 1028 01:00:23,560 --> 01:00:27,240 Speaker 3: a lot of hetero relationships presented of like he really 1029 01:00:27,280 --> 01:00:29,760 Speaker 3: showed her how the world works, but like that's that's 1030 01:00:29,840 --> 01:00:30,920 Speaker 3: not how this works. 1031 01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:35,520 Speaker 2: I mean a uh Titanic with Jack being like here, Rose, 1032 01:00:35,840 --> 01:00:37,440 Speaker 2: let me show you exactly. 1033 01:00:38,120 --> 01:00:41,120 Speaker 4: Yeah, it could have one gun down that route. M H. 1034 01:00:41,920 --> 01:00:46,520 Speaker 2: What I especially appreciate is that their love story, whether 1035 01:00:46,560 --> 01:00:50,440 Speaker 2: it's like the platonic friendship at first, and then it 1036 01:00:50,720 --> 01:00:52,480 Speaker 2: I mean, we don't even see them kiss on the lips, 1037 01:00:52,800 --> 01:00:55,000 Speaker 2: like he kind of nuzzles her and like kisses around 1038 01:00:55,000 --> 01:00:57,320 Speaker 2: the neck a little bit. But you're like, yeah, yeah, 1039 01:00:57,320 --> 01:01:00,360 Speaker 2: there's no like big like scene where the camera was 1040 01:01:00,520 --> 01:01:03,920 Speaker 2: swirling around them as they kiss passionately. 1041 01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:06,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, capital M make capital L love. 1042 01:01:07,640 --> 01:01:09,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, nothing like that. 1043 01:01:09,560 --> 01:01:11,560 Speaker 3: No love in basketball virgility scene. 1044 01:01:12,600 --> 01:01:12,800 Speaker 4: Right. 1045 01:01:13,040 --> 01:01:17,320 Speaker 2: I appreciate that the like interpersonal romantic love story doesn't 1046 01:01:17,440 --> 01:01:21,000 Speaker 2: overpower the larger story, which is like a love letter 1047 01:01:21,160 --> 01:01:26,320 Speaker 2: to Palestine. It's like the characters loving their home and 1048 01:01:27,320 --> 01:01:32,160 Speaker 2: soriah reconnecting with her homeland, and like that's that's the 1049 01:01:32,200 --> 01:01:36,080 Speaker 2: real story. And then this you know, relationship that blossoms 1050 01:01:36,400 --> 01:01:40,040 Speaker 2: is a fringe benefit of that and like a subplot narratively, 1051 01:01:40,160 --> 01:01:43,280 Speaker 2: But yeah, I like the balance of all of that. 1052 01:01:43,480 --> 01:01:45,960 Speaker 2: And then to the point of like the moments of 1053 01:01:46,280 --> 01:01:48,840 Speaker 2: levity and joy that you see a few that really 1054 01:01:48,880 --> 01:01:53,680 Speaker 2: stuck out to me, where the scene where Emma takes 1055 01:01:53,840 --> 01:01:56,840 Speaker 2: soria to his home and he's like come in and 1056 01:01:56,880 --> 01:02:00,439 Speaker 2: she's like, nah, oh it's okay, and then his comes 1057 01:02:00,480 --> 01:02:02,440 Speaker 2: out and she's like, oh, my son's so rude, he 1058 01:02:02,480 --> 01:02:05,840 Speaker 2: has no tact. He didn't even invite you in. He's like, 1059 01:02:05,920 --> 01:02:08,000 Speaker 2: yeah I did, and she's like shut up. And then 1060 01:02:08,560 --> 01:02:12,800 Speaker 2: she brings Soriah inside and she's telling them like the 1061 01:02:12,800 --> 01:02:15,480 Speaker 2: family history of oh, this is where my grandfather was born, 1062 01:02:15,560 --> 01:02:17,760 Speaker 2: this is where my parents grew up, this is where 1063 01:02:17,800 --> 01:02:18,320 Speaker 2: I grew up. 1064 01:02:18,240 --> 01:02:21,760 Speaker 4: And the whole family is there, which I there cool, 1065 01:02:22,240 --> 01:02:25,640 Speaker 4: like it's like meeting the parents, but like the whole 1066 01:02:25,640 --> 01:02:27,960 Speaker 4: family's there. She barely knows. 1067 01:02:27,760 --> 01:02:31,200 Speaker 2: This man, right, Yeah, she just like talked to him 1068 01:02:31,240 --> 01:02:34,760 Speaker 2: for the first time earlier today. She's you know, at 1069 01:02:34,760 --> 01:02:38,480 Speaker 2: this family home, and then his mom says, welcome to 1070 01:02:38,600 --> 01:02:41,360 Speaker 2: your country, and I was just like, oh, it like 1071 01:02:41,880 --> 01:02:42,840 Speaker 2: rocked me to my core. 1072 01:02:43,560 --> 01:02:46,360 Speaker 3: This like harkens back to a very specific relationship, but 1073 01:02:46,400 --> 01:02:50,160 Speaker 3: definitely like I feel like she has been including with 1074 01:02:50,400 --> 01:02:54,800 Speaker 3: Immad at this point, been made to feel like an 1075 01:02:54,800 --> 01:02:59,520 Speaker 3: outsider many many times by Israeli and Palestinian characters at 1076 01:02:59,520 --> 01:03:03,000 Speaker 3: this point, and it's Iman's mother who was the first 1077 01:03:03,040 --> 01:03:06,880 Speaker 3: person that is just so openly welcoming and happy that 1078 01:03:06,920 --> 01:03:09,320 Speaker 3: she's there. And I feel like that she did her 1079 01:03:09,360 --> 01:03:12,600 Speaker 3: son a huge favor in that department of like, okay, 1080 01:03:12,600 --> 01:03:15,200 Speaker 3: if this is your mom, you're probably an alright guy. 1081 01:03:15,360 --> 01:03:18,160 Speaker 3: And yeah, even though she doesn't come back, I just 1082 01:03:18,200 --> 01:03:21,720 Speaker 3: thought that that was so lovely because at that point, 1083 01:03:21,840 --> 01:03:26,720 Speaker 3: you know, we've been with Soriah feeling so confused and displaced, 1084 01:03:27,440 --> 01:03:31,160 Speaker 3: you know, since moment one of the movie and clearly before, 1085 01:03:31,320 --> 01:03:33,760 Speaker 3: and just seeing someone like welcome her with open arms 1086 01:03:33,840 --> 01:03:34,960 Speaker 3: was so so nice. 1087 01:03:35,160 --> 01:03:35,880 Speaker 2: I really was. 1088 01:03:36,360 --> 01:03:38,160 Speaker 3: I wanted to touch on just in terms of like 1089 01:03:38,200 --> 01:03:41,440 Speaker 3: the specific because I know it's like, it's very it 1090 01:03:41,480 --> 01:03:45,520 Speaker 3: feels impossible to not project twenty twenty five onto this 1091 01:03:45,640 --> 01:03:48,240 Speaker 3: movie now. But I did want to go back to 1092 01:03:48,480 --> 01:03:52,920 Speaker 3: how this movie was received at the time, because I 1093 01:03:53,000 --> 01:03:55,920 Speaker 3: honestly was like, any answer wouldn't shock me. I don't know. 1094 01:03:56,480 --> 01:03:59,600 Speaker 3: It was, you know, over fifteen years ago now, and 1095 01:03:59,840 --> 01:04:04,080 Speaker 3: I I guess as expected, the critical reception at the 1096 01:04:04,120 --> 01:04:08,720 Speaker 3: time in the West was mixed in a way that 1097 01:04:08,880 --> 01:04:12,600 Speaker 3: I thought was like very telling. This has a Rotten 1098 01:04:12,640 --> 01:04:16,520 Speaker 3: Tomatoes rating, which makes no fucking what sense. Yeah, it's ridiculous. 1099 01:04:16,560 --> 01:04:19,960 Speaker 3: I mean a lot of these reviews are quite literally 1100 01:04:20,040 --> 01:04:25,120 Speaker 3: so old that you can't even read them anymore. But 1101 01:04:25,560 --> 01:04:27,920 Speaker 3: the two reviews I was able to access were on 1102 01:04:28,400 --> 01:04:33,720 Speaker 3: NPR and Slant they were both very like. Basically both 1103 01:04:33,760 --> 01:04:38,400 Speaker 3: of the reviews boiled down to this movie is histrionic 1104 01:04:38,560 --> 01:04:43,400 Speaker 3: and over dramatic, which is just so absurd from the 1105 01:04:43,480 --> 01:04:46,840 Speaker 3: first movie directed by a Palestinian woman. To receive it 1106 01:04:46,920 --> 01:04:49,760 Speaker 3: like that in the US is just so ridiculous. But 1107 01:04:49,760 --> 01:04:53,000 Speaker 3: I wanted to specifically single out. There is a quote 1108 01:04:53,720 --> 01:04:57,160 Speaker 3: in the NPR interview that is just so telling of 1109 01:04:57,240 --> 01:05:00,680 Speaker 3: like where this film critic is coming from, where he 1110 01:05:00,960 --> 01:05:05,440 Speaker 3: refers to Okay, in a fit of supreme frustration, she 1111 01:05:05,840 --> 01:05:08,920 Speaker 3: Soria convinces them to help her rob the bank for 1112 01:05:08,960 --> 01:05:11,200 Speaker 3: the three hundred and fifteen Palestinian pounds owed to her 1113 01:05:11,240 --> 01:05:14,200 Speaker 3: as her grandfather's heir, plus more than sixty years interest. 1114 01:05:14,560 --> 01:05:17,000 Speaker 3: When the clumsily orchestrated heyst is over, they go on 1115 01:05:17,000 --> 01:05:18,760 Speaker 3: the run to Tel Aviv so that she may see 1116 01:05:18,800 --> 01:05:21,760 Speaker 3: her grandfather's old house. It comes as no surprise when 1117 01:05:21,800 --> 01:05:24,479 Speaker 3: she picks a fight with the kind and sympathetic young 1118 01:05:24,560 --> 01:05:29,520 Speaker 3: Israeli who now owns it. And so it's just like wrong. Yeah, 1119 01:05:29,600 --> 01:05:32,880 Speaker 3: I'll keep going because this review really really frustrated me. 1120 01:05:32,920 --> 01:05:35,360 Speaker 3: But I feel like does clearly put us in a 1121 01:05:35,440 --> 01:05:39,960 Speaker 3: moment in time in American criticism, write director and Marigeous 1122 01:05:40,000 --> 01:05:43,240 Speaker 3: here in her first film, is determined to make important 1123 01:05:43,280 --> 01:05:48,080 Speaker 3: statements through her protagonists, which is what makes Soriah so uncompromising. Unfortunately, 1124 01:05:48,160 --> 01:05:50,600 Speaker 3: it also makes her less of a character. She often 1125 01:05:50,640 --> 01:05:53,160 Speaker 3: seems little more than a mouthpiece for history lessons on 1126 01:05:53,200 --> 01:05:57,200 Speaker 3: the injustices perpetrated on the Palestinian people. So it's just 1127 01:05:57,320 --> 01:06:00,400 Speaker 3: I don't know. Most of the reviews are not only 1128 01:06:00,520 --> 01:06:06,919 Speaker 3: expectedly written by men, but they're written by white American men. 1129 01:06:07,200 --> 01:06:09,760 Speaker 3: That just I mean. And I know we've talked about 1130 01:06:09,760 --> 01:06:12,320 Speaker 3: this on the show in the case of so many 1131 01:06:12,760 --> 01:06:14,720 Speaker 3: movies over the years, but this just felt like a 1132 01:06:14,800 --> 01:06:19,040 Speaker 3: really glaring one of just clearly like this movie wasn't 1133 01:06:19,080 --> 01:06:25,160 Speaker 3: made for me, and so it's hysterical and. 1134 01:06:24,480 --> 01:06:27,960 Speaker 4: It's yeah, yeah, I see it a lot with Arab 1135 01:06:28,000 --> 01:06:32,760 Speaker 4: films in general up into this day. People think a 1136 01:06:32,800 --> 01:06:36,400 Speaker 4: film is bad because they don't get it, because they 1137 01:06:36,560 --> 01:06:41,080 Speaker 4: lack context, or it's not made for them, it does 1138 01:06:41,120 --> 01:06:44,960 Speaker 4: not hold their hand through it. Like sure, Soraya is 1139 01:06:45,280 --> 01:06:49,320 Speaker 4: hard headed. I would find myself sometimes being like, no, 1140 01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:52,120 Speaker 4: you're gonna get yourself in trouble with the way she 1141 01:06:52,160 --> 01:06:55,240 Speaker 4: would speak to people. But it doesn't make her not 1142 01:06:55,400 --> 01:06:58,600 Speaker 4: a character like it is part of her characters, It is. 1143 01:06:58,600 --> 01:07:02,760 Speaker 2: Part of literally and you get why she's behaving that way. 1144 01:07:02,880 --> 01:07:05,760 Speaker 2: She's very justified. 1145 01:07:06,000 --> 01:07:09,880 Speaker 4: As like an Arab too. Like I just like get 1146 01:07:09,920 --> 01:07:13,640 Speaker 4: nervous for her when she because she's so outspoken and 1147 01:07:13,760 --> 01:07:16,800 Speaker 4: so confident that she's right, and I am so scared 1148 01:07:17,120 --> 01:07:18,360 Speaker 4: that someone's going to shoot her. 1149 01:07:18,440 --> 01:07:21,920 Speaker 2: Well, that's the thing, Like her safety is at stake 1150 01:07:22,200 --> 01:07:25,919 Speaker 2: in this context, and yeah, you do, you certainly fear 1151 01:07:25,920 --> 01:07:28,160 Speaker 2: for her, but you also admire her for like I 1152 01:07:28,360 --> 01:07:30,240 Speaker 2: there's a scene where I mean, and again, there's so 1153 01:07:30,240 --> 01:07:35,120 Speaker 2: many scenes where she's interfacing with someone who is like 1154 01:07:35,520 --> 01:07:39,280 Speaker 2: enforcing this red tape that is not allowing her to 1155 01:07:40,200 --> 01:07:42,960 Speaker 2: you know, get the passport she's entitled to, or get 1156 01:07:42,960 --> 01:07:44,680 Speaker 2: the money out of the bank that she's entitled to, 1157 01:07:44,840 --> 01:07:47,160 Speaker 2: or you know, do all these things. You know, it's 1158 01:07:47,200 --> 01:07:53,520 Speaker 2: this oppressive force that is designed to withhold things from 1159 01:07:53,560 --> 01:07:56,240 Speaker 2: her that she's entitled to. So all this is it. 1160 01:07:56,280 --> 01:07:58,800 Speaker 2: There's a bunch of scenes like that where she's always 1161 01:07:58,800 --> 01:08:02,240 Speaker 2: just like what the fun this is bullshit? She's calling 1162 01:08:02,560 --> 01:08:05,480 Speaker 2: it out every step of the way. And then there 1163 01:08:05,600 --> 01:08:08,080 Speaker 2: was one that I especially enjoyed it. I think it's 1164 01:08:08,080 --> 01:08:12,080 Speaker 2: when she's crossing back into the West Bank after she 1165 01:08:12,160 --> 01:08:18,640 Speaker 2: went on her like shopping spree of like getting disguises 1166 01:08:19,080 --> 01:08:25,920 Speaker 2: for the for the quote unquote robbery, and the occupier 1167 01:08:26,200 --> 01:08:32,200 Speaker 2: guy is like, hey, no tourists allowed. You can't go here, 1168 01:08:32,720 --> 01:08:36,000 Speaker 2: and she's like, well, where are you from. She's basically 1169 01:08:36,000 --> 01:08:39,040 Speaker 2: implying like you're a tourist, Like, where's your family from? 1170 01:08:39,600 --> 01:08:42,080 Speaker 2: You haven't been here this whole time. My family and 1171 01:08:42,120 --> 01:08:44,800 Speaker 2: my people have been here this whole time. And it's 1172 01:08:44,800 --> 01:08:47,439 Speaker 2: just it's many situations like that where she's always pushing back. 1173 01:08:47,880 --> 01:08:52,000 Speaker 2: She's not afraid to call out injustices when she sees them, 1174 01:08:52,040 --> 01:08:55,240 Speaker 2: but it does make you like fearful for her safety. 1175 01:08:55,520 --> 01:08:59,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm looking at the Rotten Tomatoes page right now, 1176 01:08:59,320 --> 01:09:03,479 Speaker 4: and Ella Taylor for the Village Boyce refers to her 1177 01:09:03,920 --> 01:09:05,440 Speaker 4: as a spoiled princess. 1178 01:09:05,640 --> 01:09:06,439 Speaker 2: Oh my god. 1179 01:09:06,840 --> 01:09:10,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, thankfully that link. If you click the link to 1180 01:09:10,439 --> 01:09:13,280 Speaker 3: see more. They're like, we've never heard of this review 1181 01:09:13,400 --> 01:09:15,840 Speaker 3: because it's so like the one poll quote. 1182 01:09:15,840 --> 01:09:22,240 Speaker 4: You're like, oh, okay, idiot, Yeah, it's too bad. But luckily, 1183 01:09:22,360 --> 01:09:26,200 Speaker 4: I think audiences, especially now can see past that, and 1184 01:09:26,240 --> 01:09:30,519 Speaker 4: the film has had a staying power that these Western 1185 01:09:30,600 --> 01:09:32,759 Speaker 4: critics couldn't suppress. 1186 01:09:33,040 --> 01:09:36,360 Speaker 2: So yes, yeah, for our listeners who if you're listening 1187 01:09:36,439 --> 01:09:39,080 Speaker 2: to this episode and you haven't watched the movie, I 1188 01:09:39,240 --> 01:09:41,479 Speaker 2: highly recommend that you do again. Like Jamie said, is 1189 01:09:41,560 --> 01:09:45,240 Speaker 2: very accessible, at least in the US, if you have 1190 01:09:45,360 --> 01:09:47,920 Speaker 2: access to Canopy, which you can get if you have 1191 01:09:48,080 --> 01:09:49,800 Speaker 2: a public library card. 1192 01:09:51,120 --> 01:09:53,000 Speaker 3: You should have any you should have one. 1193 01:09:53,800 --> 01:09:56,280 Speaker 4: Unless you live in New York City, then you don't 1194 01:09:56,280 --> 01:09:57,000 Speaker 4: have Canopy. 1195 01:09:57,240 --> 01:10:00,599 Speaker 3: But but yes, I know that's one of the few places, right. 1196 01:10:01,520 --> 01:10:04,680 Speaker 4: They used to but they don't anymore. 1197 01:10:04,840 --> 01:10:06,360 Speaker 3: Mister Adams said no more. 1198 01:10:07,240 --> 01:10:11,160 Speaker 4: I think if pre dated Adams really wow. Yeah, so 1199 01:10:11,280 --> 01:10:13,600 Speaker 4: I'd love to put the blame on him regardless, I. 1200 01:10:13,560 --> 01:10:16,080 Speaker 3: Guess I took. I took the path of please resistance. 1201 01:10:16,439 --> 01:10:20,519 Speaker 2: If you need a Canopy log in, yes, Mina, I 1202 01:10:20,520 --> 01:10:22,479 Speaker 2: I got you. Yeah, I might. 1203 01:10:22,640 --> 01:10:25,600 Speaker 4: I should have asked you earlier because I so. I 1204 01:10:25,640 --> 01:10:30,439 Speaker 4: will say for audience members who don't have Canopy, there 1205 01:10:30,479 --> 01:10:34,200 Speaker 4: are two other places to access it that are not 1206 01:10:34,280 --> 01:10:38,559 Speaker 4: going to give your computer a virus. Unfortunately, right now, 1207 01:10:38,680 --> 01:10:41,760 Speaker 4: neither of them have English subtitles, and the film has 1208 01:10:41,880 --> 01:10:45,479 Speaker 4: large portions in English, but is predominantly in Arabic. That 1209 01:10:45,560 --> 01:10:47,120 Speaker 4: bothered me, and I'm going to see if I can 1210 01:10:47,520 --> 01:10:50,400 Speaker 4: figure out how we can get them some SRT files. 1211 01:10:50,840 --> 01:10:54,120 Speaker 4: But if you are part of Solidarity Cinema, which I 1212 01:10:54,200 --> 01:10:59,080 Speaker 4: highly highly recommend, you just join a Google group and 1213 01:10:59,160 --> 01:11:03,799 Speaker 4: you have access to hundreds of really amazing rare films, 1214 01:11:03,880 --> 01:11:06,720 Speaker 4: including Salt of the Sea. It is also on the 1215 01:11:06,720 --> 01:11:11,080 Speaker 4: Palestine Film Index, which is a wonderful document put together 1216 01:11:11,120 --> 01:11:14,080 Speaker 4: by a number of volunteers over the last year just 1217 01:11:14,479 --> 01:11:18,880 Speaker 4: noting Palestinian films. Not every film on there has a 1218 01:11:18,960 --> 01:11:23,320 Speaker 4: direct link to watch, but if you the listener, are 1219 01:11:23,400 --> 01:11:27,479 Speaker 4: interested in exploring more Palestinian films specifically, or I should 1220 01:11:27,479 --> 01:11:31,040 Speaker 4: say films that deal with the Israeli occupation because some 1221 01:11:31,080 --> 01:11:34,479 Speaker 4: of them are also from Lebanon and Syria. That is 1222 01:11:34,520 --> 01:11:37,120 Speaker 4: an amazing resource even just to find out what some 1223 01:11:37,160 --> 01:11:40,080 Speaker 4: of the titles and the filmmakers might be. But it 1224 01:11:40,120 --> 01:11:43,120 Speaker 4: also has some links to some things that are otherwise 1225 01:11:43,200 --> 01:11:46,559 Speaker 4: pretty rare. But yeah, we'll see about getting some English 1226 01:11:46,640 --> 01:11:51,320 Speaker 4: subtitles on those things. I found it on Okay dot Rue, 1227 01:11:51,320 --> 01:11:52,639 Speaker 4: but I would not recommend that. 1228 01:11:53,720 --> 01:11:55,880 Speaker 3: I mean, look, we've all done it. I did it 1229 01:11:56,000 --> 01:11:59,240 Speaker 3: last I forget why I did it. We will link 1230 01:11:59,280 --> 01:12:03,479 Speaker 3: those because yeah, I follow the Solidarity Cinema letterbox list 1231 01:12:03,560 --> 01:12:07,839 Speaker 3: like they have a very very accessible presence, So we'll 1232 01:12:07,880 --> 01:12:09,240 Speaker 3: link to that in the description. 1233 01:12:09,560 --> 01:12:13,519 Speaker 4: And I'll just say this that, like I used to 1234 01:12:13,600 --> 01:12:17,120 Speaker 4: work in film distribution, I am all for, especially for 1235 01:12:17,200 --> 01:12:21,160 Speaker 4: indie filmmakers, international filmmakers. Whenever you can give them the 1236 01:12:21,160 --> 01:12:24,160 Speaker 4: money that they deserve and rent the film or stream 1237 01:12:24,200 --> 01:12:27,360 Speaker 4: the film or buy the DVD, I think you should. 1238 01:12:27,560 --> 01:12:32,360 Speaker 4: But unfortunately so many international films, especially older ones, are 1239 01:12:32,360 --> 01:12:36,120 Speaker 4: not even given that chance, which case, resources like these 1240 01:12:36,160 --> 01:12:40,639 Speaker 4: are so incredibly important to basically archiving and making these 1241 01:12:40,680 --> 01:12:45,920 Speaker 4: films accessible, So nobody say anything about piracy in the 1242 01:12:45,960 --> 01:12:49,519 Speaker 4: show comments. I swear to God, there's a lot of 1243 01:12:49,560 --> 01:12:53,320 Speaker 4: things that I even as a film programmer, there's lots 1244 01:12:53,360 --> 01:12:55,559 Speaker 4: of things I would never be able to show or 1245 01:12:56,280 --> 01:13:00,920 Speaker 4: review myself with how resources like solid Ar Cinema and 1246 01:13:01,360 --> 01:13:02,479 Speaker 4: House and Film Index. 1247 01:13:02,720 --> 01:13:06,600 Speaker 2: So yeah, as you mentioned at the top of the episode, 1248 01:13:07,240 --> 01:13:09,479 Speaker 2: you provided a list of a bunch of options of 1249 01:13:09,560 --> 01:13:14,240 Speaker 2: movies you would like to cover with us, and several 1250 01:13:14,280 --> 01:13:18,120 Speaker 2: of them, just like are not available to stream anywhere. 1251 01:13:18,280 --> 01:13:20,479 Speaker 2: You can't buy them. There was no way. 1252 01:13:20,720 --> 01:13:23,639 Speaker 3: Yeah, what is the name of the movie that summer. 1253 01:13:23,680 --> 01:13:26,360 Speaker 3: Farah also suggested that we wanted to cover with her, 1254 01:13:26,640 --> 01:13:29,400 Speaker 3: and then we couldn't. And then yes, Mida you suggested it, 1255 01:13:29,439 --> 01:13:31,160 Speaker 3: and we still couldn't because we couldn't find it. 1256 01:13:31,160 --> 01:13:33,040 Speaker 4: Probably I'm going to guess it was Amrika. 1257 01:13:33,160 --> 01:13:33,840 Speaker 2: Yes, that's the one. 1258 01:13:33,960 --> 01:13:37,760 Speaker 4: Yes, Yes, Well, so that film. Everyone should keep an 1259 01:13:37,800 --> 01:13:39,880 Speaker 4: eye out for it because hopefully it'll come back soon. 1260 01:13:39,960 --> 01:13:41,719 Speaker 4: The director just got the rights back. 1261 01:13:42,160 --> 01:13:43,120 Speaker 3: Oh, oh, wonderful. 1262 01:13:43,280 --> 01:13:46,320 Speaker 4: Because the thing that happens to demystify some more of 1263 01:13:46,360 --> 01:13:50,400 Speaker 4: the industry for listeners is, please, films have rights holders, 1264 01:13:50,920 --> 01:13:53,640 Speaker 4: and the best way for them to be seen in 1265 01:13:53,680 --> 01:13:56,439 Speaker 4: the US is to have a US distributor who is 1266 01:13:56,479 --> 01:13:59,880 Speaker 4: then the regional rights holder, and those deals usually last 1267 01:14:00,000 --> 01:14:02,719 Speaker 4: about ten years. So a lot of times when things 1268 01:14:02,720 --> 01:14:06,280 Speaker 4: suddenly disappear from the Internet, it's just that the rights 1269 01:14:06,479 --> 01:14:10,879 Speaker 4: expired and for whatever reason, that company doesn't hold them anymore, 1270 01:14:10,960 --> 01:14:14,479 Speaker 4: and they're probably just back with the filmmaker who doesn't 1271 01:14:14,479 --> 01:14:18,280 Speaker 4: have the means, whether financially or just the time or 1272 01:14:18,320 --> 01:14:23,599 Speaker 4: the interest in getting it up on vod platforms or whatever. Yeah, 1273 01:14:23,680 --> 01:14:26,280 Speaker 4: Amrika's I think one of those films that just the 1274 01:14:26,400 --> 01:14:30,280 Speaker 4: licensing ended or sometimes if a company goes under, it 1275 01:14:30,360 --> 01:14:33,719 Speaker 4: just kind of gets lost and it doesn't always easily 1276 01:14:33,760 --> 01:14:37,080 Speaker 4: revert back to the filmmaker. It sucks. The industry is 1277 01:14:37,479 --> 01:14:38,440 Speaker 4: a mess. 1278 01:14:38,000 --> 01:14:39,160 Speaker 2: But yeah, but. 1279 01:14:39,160 --> 01:14:42,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, Amrika's an amazing film by Sharen Doabs, who has 1280 01:14:43,000 --> 01:14:46,960 Speaker 4: a new movie at Sundance and also Oho like directs 1281 01:14:47,000 --> 01:14:51,960 Speaker 4: some television and another pest in American filmmaker to watch 1282 01:14:51,960 --> 01:14:54,559 Speaker 4: out for since we're talking about her. Hell yeah, but 1283 01:14:54,680 --> 01:14:58,360 Speaker 4: hopefully in the future you can talk about that film someday. 1284 01:14:58,600 --> 01:14:58,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. 1285 01:15:01,080 --> 01:15:03,040 Speaker 2: I'm also going to see if any of these movies 1286 01:15:03,040 --> 01:15:06,880 Speaker 2: you suggested, especially for the ones that aren't on the 1287 01:15:06,920 --> 01:15:11,000 Speaker 2: Palestine Film Index or that like don't have accessibility to 1288 01:15:11,080 --> 01:15:15,000 Speaker 2: watch streaming, if they're available on DVD, I'll check that out, 1289 01:15:15,000 --> 01:15:16,920 Speaker 2: because look, I love a DVD. 1290 01:15:17,600 --> 01:15:22,000 Speaker 4: eBay is another great resource for finding especially if they 1291 01:15:22,040 --> 01:15:24,800 Speaker 4: did have US distribution. At one point, which a film 1292 01:15:24,800 --> 01:15:28,280 Speaker 4: I suggested that I absolutely love and highly recommend is 1293 01:15:28,360 --> 01:15:32,559 Speaker 4: Caramel by Nadine Labaki. I have the DVD and I 1294 01:15:32,600 --> 01:15:35,839 Speaker 4: think it was like lions Gate or Sony Pictures Classic 1295 01:15:36,000 --> 01:15:36,479 Speaker 4: or something. 1296 01:15:37,080 --> 01:15:37,760 Speaker 2: But cool. 1297 01:15:37,840 --> 01:15:41,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, the rights must have the contract must have ended. 1298 01:15:41,880 --> 01:15:45,320 Speaker 2: It happened with that and with Crossroads famously. 1299 01:15:45,720 --> 01:15:50,240 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh, Yes, two great films. 1300 01:15:50,280 --> 01:15:56,400 Speaker 2: Equal quality. Definitely. Does anyone have anything else they'd like 1301 01:15:56,439 --> 01:16:01,080 Speaker 2: to discuss regarding Salt of the Sea or anything really 1302 01:16:01,240 --> 01:16:02,439 Speaker 2: or anything. 1303 01:16:02,320 --> 01:16:05,040 Speaker 4: I would love to soapbox for a quick minute. I 1304 01:16:05,040 --> 01:16:08,920 Speaker 4: know we're running short on time, but I just you know, 1305 01:16:09,080 --> 01:16:12,280 Speaker 4: if it hasn't come across clearly by now. I'm very 1306 01:16:12,320 --> 01:16:16,479 Speaker 4: passionate about Arab cinema, and I think a lot of 1307 01:16:16,760 --> 01:16:21,200 Speaker 4: people listening, especially those who are from America, probably don't 1308 01:16:21,200 --> 01:16:25,960 Speaker 4: even recognize what kind of anti Arab biases that they hold. 1309 01:16:26,280 --> 01:16:31,519 Speaker 4: And I really encourage everyone to speak out international cinema 1310 01:16:31,600 --> 01:16:37,120 Speaker 4: in general, but consider adding some Arab cinema onto your letterbox, 1311 01:16:37,200 --> 01:16:40,800 Speaker 4: watch lists, and if you want to try to unlearn 1312 01:16:41,080 --> 01:16:44,840 Speaker 4: some of these biases or learn why, you know, even 1313 01:16:44,880 --> 01:16:48,679 Speaker 4: if you are supportive an allied, you know, not an 1314 01:16:48,720 --> 01:16:52,040 Speaker 4: overt racist, you might hold some biases that you don't 1315 01:16:52,040 --> 01:16:55,479 Speaker 4: even realize. A great resource to kind of starting to 1316 01:16:55,560 --> 01:16:59,479 Speaker 4: unpack how the media affects where these come from is 1317 01:16:59,560 --> 01:17:04,439 Speaker 4: a book, book, and connected documentary called Real Bad Arabs, 1318 01:17:04,600 --> 01:17:10,080 Speaker 4: Real Being Are Double E L subtitle How Hollywood Villifies 1319 01:17:10,080 --> 01:17:13,720 Speaker 4: the people They're both by Jack Shaheen. I have a 1320 01:17:13,760 --> 01:17:17,440 Speaker 4: copy of it above me here. He's really really incredible, 1321 01:17:17,560 --> 01:17:20,479 Speaker 4: and the book just goes through I believe it's like 1322 01:17:20,520 --> 01:17:24,000 Speaker 4: a thousand American films and points out all of the 1323 01:17:24,520 --> 01:17:29,799 Speaker 4: anti Arab stereotypes, and the documentary does it more generally 1324 01:17:29,880 --> 01:17:34,000 Speaker 4: talking about these things. And if anyone listening thinks that 1325 01:17:34,080 --> 01:17:36,000 Speaker 4: this is all a post nine to eleven thing, it 1326 01:17:36,120 --> 01:17:39,120 Speaker 4: is not. It's been going on a really long time, 1327 01:17:39,560 --> 01:17:43,599 Speaker 4: specifically about Palestinians too. The sort of Arabs as terrorist 1328 01:17:43,600 --> 01:17:48,439 Speaker 4: trope was specifically Palestinians as terrorists for a long long time. 1329 01:17:49,000 --> 01:17:53,800 Speaker 4: And I just get really frustrated when even folks I 1330 01:17:53,880 --> 01:17:57,000 Speaker 4: know in the industry they'll be like, oh, you you 1331 01:17:57,080 --> 01:18:00,599 Speaker 4: know work in Arab cinema. Oh I love this Aronia director. 1332 01:18:00,640 --> 01:18:03,640 Speaker 4: And then I have to be like, you're on Newscasion, 1333 01:18:04,439 --> 01:18:08,800 Speaker 4: it's not Arab. You've never seen an Arab film, have you? 1334 01:18:08,920 --> 01:18:12,479 Speaker 4: So I just I would love if more people watched 1335 01:18:12,479 --> 01:18:15,599 Speaker 4: our stuff. And part of the reason I brought up 1336 01:18:15,640 --> 01:18:17,680 Speaker 4: some of the like comedy in the film too, is 1337 01:18:17,720 --> 01:18:21,000 Speaker 4: because I think people are afraid of Arab cinema because 1338 01:18:21,080 --> 01:18:25,680 Speaker 4: it can be very very heavy, but there's humor, there's romance, 1339 01:18:25,920 --> 01:18:30,240 Speaker 4: there's horror, there's sci fi, and I just I think 1340 01:18:30,600 --> 01:18:32,920 Speaker 4: we get a bad rap. So that's what I want 1341 01:18:33,000 --> 01:18:34,160 Speaker 4: to say before. 1342 01:18:34,280 --> 01:18:38,360 Speaker 2: Thank you for out saying that it's all very true. 1343 01:18:38,720 --> 01:18:42,240 Speaker 4: Yeah, somehow my Instagram has become like a landing point 1344 01:18:42,320 --> 01:18:45,320 Speaker 4: for a lot of people seeking out Arab cinema. So 1345 01:18:45,400 --> 01:18:48,559 Speaker 4: people are welcome to follow me. It's my handle is 1346 01:18:48,800 --> 01:18:51,320 Speaker 4: just yes Meina dot to wheel, so feel free to 1347 01:18:51,360 --> 01:18:55,400 Speaker 4: follow me on Instagram. But I I have a couple 1348 01:18:56,040 --> 01:18:59,719 Speaker 4: directions to send people. They're all linked on my Instagram. 1349 01:18:59,760 --> 01:19:04,040 Speaker 4: But on my website, I keep a Palestinian film calendar. 1350 01:19:04,600 --> 01:19:07,759 Speaker 4: It's specifically for New York City, but I do include 1351 01:19:07,840 --> 01:19:13,120 Speaker 4: limited online screenings that are available throughout the US from 1352 01:19:13,240 --> 01:19:16,240 Speaker 4: different sites and festivals and stuff like that. And on 1353 01:19:16,280 --> 01:19:19,200 Speaker 4: that page, I have a list of resources of other 1354 01:19:19,320 --> 01:19:23,960 Speaker 4: places to explore and learn about Palestinian cinema specifically, So 1355 01:19:24,120 --> 01:19:26,639 Speaker 4: even if you're not in New York City and can't 1356 01:19:26,680 --> 01:19:28,920 Speaker 4: come to any of the in person screenings listed, it's 1357 01:19:29,040 --> 01:19:31,960 Speaker 4: a great jumping off point if you are in New 1358 01:19:32,040 --> 01:19:36,160 Speaker 4: York City. I also do a screening series called Cinema Arabia. 1359 01:19:36,600 --> 01:19:40,840 Speaker 4: It's every other month at the Nighthawk Cinema in Williamsburg. 1360 01:19:41,320 --> 01:19:44,479 Speaker 4: There's a Cinema Arabia Instagram as well that you can 1361 01:19:44,520 --> 01:19:47,920 Speaker 4: follow to keep up with it, and that series specifically 1362 01:19:48,160 --> 01:19:54,040 Speaker 4: is to highlight lesser known or lesser shown Arab films 1363 01:19:54,040 --> 01:19:59,320 Speaker 4: that I think deserve more attention and hopefully sort of 1364 01:19:59,439 --> 01:20:04,639 Speaker 4: challenge and excite the curious cinephile. But also too, there 1365 01:20:04,720 --> 01:20:07,960 Speaker 4: is the Arab Film and Media Institute, the Arab American 1366 01:20:08,000 --> 01:20:11,720 Speaker 4: National Museum, MISNA, and RT East, which are like four 1367 01:20:11,760 --> 01:20:14,680 Speaker 4: of the big Arab film and cultural organizations here in 1368 01:20:14,720 --> 01:20:18,280 Speaker 4: the US. So I would check any of them out, 1369 01:20:18,439 --> 01:20:21,479 Speaker 4: though I'm not personally associated with any of them anymore, 1370 01:20:21,680 --> 01:20:24,960 Speaker 4: but they're all really great places to go. And then, 1371 01:20:25,240 --> 01:20:29,160 Speaker 4: oh then one more thing to promote. I no longer 1372 01:20:29,920 --> 01:20:34,000 Speaker 4: specifically program in Arab cinema. I am the new film 1373 01:20:34,000 --> 01:20:37,439 Speaker 4: programmer at BAM, so you will be seeing more for 1374 01:20:37,560 --> 01:20:40,280 Speaker 4: anyone in the New York City area, you will be 1375 01:20:40,280 --> 01:20:44,240 Speaker 4: seeing more Arab cinema in the BAM lineup, but not exclusively. 1376 01:20:45,560 --> 01:20:49,080 Speaker 4: My first program I will plug is at the end 1377 01:20:49,240 --> 01:20:53,800 Speaker 4: last week of February and it is dedicated to counterculture 1378 01:20:54,160 --> 01:20:56,960 Speaker 4: pioneers from the Middle East. So if you want to 1379 01:20:57,040 --> 01:21:00,519 Speaker 4: learn about the first hip hop group in Palace Sign 1380 01:21:01,160 --> 01:21:04,719 Speaker 4: or the first all female thrash metal band from Lebanon, 1381 01:21:04,960 --> 01:21:10,920 Speaker 4: or the first professional skateboarder from Morocco. That'll be the 1382 01:21:11,000 --> 01:21:14,120 Speaker 4: last week in February, and then in general, I encourage 1383 01:21:14,120 --> 01:21:19,120 Speaker 4: you to come see some movies at the Brooklyn Academy 1384 01:21:19,120 --> 01:21:19,599 Speaker 4: of Music. 1385 01:21:19,880 --> 01:21:23,280 Speaker 3: This is wonderful, I mean, because it's frustrating on our 1386 01:21:23,400 --> 01:21:26,160 Speaker 3: end to have so many great options for movies to 1387 01:21:26,200 --> 01:21:28,360 Speaker 3: want to cover and then have to kind of go with. 1388 01:21:28,840 --> 01:21:31,720 Speaker 3: I mean, we lucked out here because alt of this 1389 01:21:32,080 --> 01:21:35,919 Speaker 3: is incredible, but for the access to be so limited, 1390 01:21:36,080 --> 01:21:37,560 Speaker 3: it is frustrating. 1391 01:21:37,680 --> 01:21:38,800 Speaker 4: It's very frustrating. 1392 01:21:38,920 --> 01:21:41,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I can't imagine like what your day 1393 01:21:41,160 --> 01:21:44,320 Speaker 3: to day is like, but I'm so grateful that you 1394 01:21:44,439 --> 01:21:47,439 Speaker 3: are doing so much of the work to make Arab 1395 01:21:47,520 --> 01:21:52,439 Speaker 3: cinnemon more accessible and we will yeah, continue to share 1396 01:21:52,680 --> 01:21:56,280 Speaker 3: however we can be supportive of your work is what 1397 01:21:56,320 --> 01:21:57,040 Speaker 3: we would love to do. 1398 01:21:57,160 --> 01:21:59,240 Speaker 4: I appreciate it. And if you ever want to talk 1399 01:21:59,280 --> 01:22:02,040 Speaker 4: about non Arab cinema, I'm also down. 1400 01:22:03,080 --> 01:22:04,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, come back, talk about whatever you. 1401 01:22:04,840 --> 01:22:08,360 Speaker 3: Want, whatever your favorite movies are. We're we're down for anything. 1402 01:22:08,080 --> 01:22:10,120 Speaker 4: We can talk about my favorite film of twenty twenty four, 1403 01:22:10,160 --> 01:22:12,080 Speaker 4: which is the Kneecap movie. 1404 01:22:12,360 --> 01:22:15,280 Speaker 3: Oh my god, that movie was so good, Katelyn, I 1405 01:22:15,360 --> 01:22:17,559 Speaker 3: haven't seen it. Caitlin's side, Yeah. 1406 01:22:17,520 --> 01:22:21,200 Speaker 2: It rocks. It's so great. A movie that does not 1407 01:22:21,760 --> 01:22:25,759 Speaker 2: pass the Bechdel test. But you know what movie does 1408 01:22:25,840 --> 01:22:29,439 Speaker 2: pass the Bechdel test, Salt of this Sea. It is 1409 01:22:30,000 --> 01:22:35,599 Speaker 2: mostly the conversation between Soriah and the Israeli woman. I mean, 1410 01:22:35,600 --> 01:22:37,679 Speaker 2: she does talk to her friend Krinn, and she talks 1411 01:22:37,720 --> 01:22:40,920 Speaker 2: to Imad's mom. But this is an example of a 1412 01:22:40,920 --> 01:22:43,439 Speaker 2: movie where it's like, even if it doesn't handily pass, 1413 01:22:43,560 --> 01:22:45,840 Speaker 2: or even if some of the conversations that pass are 1414 01:22:45,960 --> 01:22:51,160 Speaker 2: like contentious, difficult conversations. As we've always said, the test 1415 01:22:51,240 --> 01:22:53,960 Speaker 2: is a jumping off point and there is much else 1416 01:22:54,000 --> 01:22:58,720 Speaker 2: to discuss. So to me, the more relevant metric is 1417 01:22:58,760 --> 01:23:03,280 Speaker 2: the nipple scale of the famous spectral cast nipplescale, where 1418 01:23:03,320 --> 01:23:06,760 Speaker 2: we rate the movie zero to five nipples based on 1419 01:23:06,880 --> 01:23:11,040 Speaker 2: examining it through an intersectional feminist lens. I think this 1420 01:23:11,080 --> 01:23:17,800 Speaker 2: is such an important and moving movie. Wow, oh whoa 1421 01:23:18,120 --> 01:23:23,240 Speaker 2: watch out world, I'm a poet. I think this is 1422 01:23:23,280 --> 01:23:26,799 Speaker 2: just so terrifically done. And I think the way Soriah 1423 01:23:26,800 --> 01:23:32,519 Speaker 2: the characters is represented in her journey of reconnecting with 1424 01:23:32,600 --> 01:23:36,839 Speaker 2: her homeland and advocating for herself and advocating for her people, 1425 01:23:37,640 --> 01:23:40,559 Speaker 2: and the story just like being a love letter to 1426 01:23:40,760 --> 01:23:45,599 Speaker 2: Palestine and the connection she makes along the way, and 1427 01:23:45,720 --> 01:23:47,280 Speaker 2: the thing she has to deal with along the way. 1428 01:23:47,280 --> 01:23:50,760 Speaker 2: Like everything about this narrative is just so poignant and 1429 01:23:51,920 --> 01:23:56,240 Speaker 2: beautiful and heart wrenching and just so well done. I 1430 01:23:56,280 --> 01:24:01,120 Speaker 2: feel like, I don't know why I wouldn't give it nipples. 1431 01:24:01,520 --> 01:24:04,400 Speaker 4: But what about Marjuan, Well, yeah, that's okay. 1432 01:24:04,520 --> 01:24:08,320 Speaker 3: That was something I wanted to talk because I Marwuan 1433 01:24:09,160 --> 01:24:12,640 Speaker 3: and I'm a Marwan Truther. I love that guy. I 1434 01:24:12,680 --> 01:24:16,400 Speaker 3: want to see his film. He reminded me of whatever 1435 01:24:16,439 --> 01:24:19,880 Speaker 3: I was like middle schooler who was really into Rent, 1436 01:24:20,280 --> 01:24:23,040 Speaker 3: and he reminded me a lot of Mark from Rent, 1437 01:24:23,120 --> 01:24:24,719 Speaker 3: where you're like, he's making a movie. 1438 01:24:24,840 --> 01:24:25,240 Speaker 4: Is it good? 1439 01:24:25,320 --> 01:24:28,960 Speaker 3: We're not sure, but he's really into it. And I 1440 01:24:29,000 --> 01:24:32,720 Speaker 3: love a character like that. I do wish. I mean, 1441 01:24:32,800 --> 01:24:37,840 Speaker 3: just because it seems like we're introduced to Karne, I think, 1442 01:24:37,840 --> 01:24:42,080 Speaker 3: who's like a potential friend for Soriah at the beginning, 1443 01:24:42,120 --> 01:24:44,559 Speaker 3: but then she really only does seem to come into 1444 01:24:44,640 --> 01:24:47,720 Speaker 3: contact with men for the remainder of the story outside 1445 01:24:47,960 --> 01:24:52,439 Speaker 3: of this horrible Israeli woman. I just am like, if 1446 01:24:52,520 --> 01:24:56,600 Speaker 3: I could be so nitpicky, I would love if we 1447 01:24:56,840 --> 01:25:00,960 Speaker 3: just adjusted Marjuan a little bit and both, you know, 1448 01:25:01,080 --> 01:25:03,599 Speaker 3: I don't feel like it's like, it's not a gender 1449 01:25:03,880 --> 01:25:07,960 Speaker 3: specific character. I would love to see like, especially coming 1450 01:25:08,160 --> 01:25:10,960 Speaker 3: in you know, in the first widely distributed film by 1451 01:25:11,000 --> 01:25:14,960 Speaker 3: a Palestinian women, see a woman filmmaker and maybe not 1452 01:25:15,160 --> 01:25:19,920 Speaker 3: have her cozy up with the Israeli antagonists that the 1453 01:25:19,960 --> 01:25:23,479 Speaker 3: guy from NPR loved. Yeah, that's my hyper that's my 1454 01:25:23,800 --> 01:25:28,080 Speaker 3: little little thing because I wish that there had been more. 1455 01:25:28,760 --> 01:25:32,040 Speaker 3: Even though we see women allies for Soriah, we don't 1456 01:25:32,040 --> 01:25:33,960 Speaker 3: really get to know any of them. I mean, even 1457 01:25:34,000 --> 01:25:36,040 Speaker 3: like getting to know the mother better, who made her 1458 01:25:36,040 --> 01:25:38,280 Speaker 3: feel so welcomer. It felt like a lot of the 1459 01:25:38,320 --> 01:25:40,600 Speaker 3: women characters who weren't soah were a little bit like 1460 01:25:41,400 --> 01:25:44,400 Speaker 3: very in and out of the story. But that's very nitpicky. 1461 01:25:44,520 --> 01:25:46,280 Speaker 4: I do think it was like a little weird the 1462 01:25:46,320 --> 01:25:50,000 Speaker 4: way Karen is introduced and then never seen again. 1463 01:25:50,640 --> 01:25:54,320 Speaker 2: Where what was her deal in the bank when they're 1464 01:25:54,360 --> 01:25:57,040 Speaker 2: taking the money back? We like get a cut to 1465 01:25:57,240 --> 01:25:59,439 Speaker 2: this woman who looked just like her, But I'm like, 1466 01:25:59,439 --> 01:26:01,360 Speaker 2: I don't know if that's her. If I just like 1467 01:26:01,600 --> 01:26:04,400 Speaker 2: am having a facial recognition problem. 1468 01:26:04,080 --> 01:26:06,080 Speaker 4: I don't remember. But it could have been a little 1469 01:26:06,080 --> 01:26:09,280 Speaker 4: easter egg because Soraya is completely covered in an obeya, 1470 01:26:09,360 --> 01:26:12,400 Speaker 4: so she wouldn't have recognized her, And that could have 1471 01:26:12,400 --> 01:26:15,160 Speaker 4: been a fun poke by the director to be like 1472 01:26:15,760 --> 01:26:19,400 Speaker 4: someone she knows who could rat her out effectively. 1473 01:26:18,960 --> 01:26:21,599 Speaker 2: Who could recognize her doesn't right. 1474 01:26:21,600 --> 01:26:22,439 Speaker 3: That would have been fun. 1475 01:26:22,520 --> 01:26:25,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's the intention. I think we cut 1476 01:26:25,080 --> 01:26:29,240 Speaker 2: to like a shot of Krinn. I think I don't know. 1477 01:26:29,439 --> 01:26:32,280 Speaker 4: Karin is in and out so fast. You could show 1478 01:26:32,320 --> 01:26:33,679 Speaker 4: me a picture of her right now and I would 1479 01:26:33,720 --> 01:26:35,360 Speaker 4: have no idea who she was. 1480 01:26:36,040 --> 01:26:38,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, like, there's not sure what her deal is, but 1481 01:26:39,439 --> 01:26:40,639 Speaker 3: best of luck or goodbye. 1482 01:26:41,240 --> 01:26:44,599 Speaker 4: Yeah. It just seemed like so weird to introduce what 1483 01:26:44,720 --> 01:26:47,280 Speaker 4: was set up to be an important character and then 1484 01:26:48,160 --> 01:26:51,519 Speaker 4: she just never shows up again. So yeah, but it 1485 01:26:51,600 --> 01:26:56,160 Speaker 4: is nitpicky because ultimately I think the story doesn't necessarily 1486 01:26:56,240 --> 01:26:59,520 Speaker 4: need Kurin nor. 1487 01:26:58,720 --> 01:27:01,080 Speaker 2: I think even so, Yeah, I'm gonna stick with five nipples. 1488 01:27:01,200 --> 01:27:05,719 Speaker 2: I think this is just such an important movie recommend 1489 01:27:05,760 --> 01:27:09,960 Speaker 2: everyone watch it, and yeah, five nipples. I'll give them 1490 01:27:10,080 --> 01:27:15,840 Speaker 2: to a Mari Jaesser and Sarah the character, as well 1491 01:27:15,920 --> 01:27:19,160 Speaker 2: as Suher Hamad the actor. 1492 01:27:19,600 --> 01:27:24,880 Speaker 3: I'll go four and have off of our our researent discussion. 1493 01:27:25,479 --> 01:27:28,080 Speaker 3: But I mean even with I mean, I think Soria 1494 01:27:28,200 --> 01:27:31,080 Speaker 3: is such a strong central character. I love that she 1495 01:27:31,200 --> 01:27:35,559 Speaker 3: pulls both from the actor's experience and from the writing 1496 01:27:35,560 --> 01:27:39,040 Speaker 3: and directing ability. And I just I don't know, I 1497 01:27:39,920 --> 01:27:43,679 Speaker 3: love this movie. I really wish slash hope. I feel 1498 01:27:43,680 --> 01:27:45,599 Speaker 3: like this is the kind of movie that should be 1499 01:27:45,680 --> 01:27:49,600 Speaker 3: shown in like schools. And I mean this in the 1500 01:27:49,600 --> 01:27:52,200 Speaker 3: most positive way. It reminds me of the kinds of 1501 01:27:52,280 --> 01:27:55,280 Speaker 3: movies you would watch in history class, but it's an 1502 01:27:55,320 --> 01:27:58,559 Speaker 3: area of history that American public schools take no interest 1503 01:27:58,600 --> 01:28:01,720 Speaker 3: in whatsoever. But I think it would really resonate. I mean, 1504 01:28:01,760 --> 01:28:04,519 Speaker 3: and like you were saying earlier, yes, you know it 1505 01:28:04,720 --> 01:28:07,000 Speaker 3: can resonate with everyone, but I think also does a 1506 01:28:07,120 --> 01:28:12,879 Speaker 3: very subtle and thoughtful job of just illustrating an everyday 1507 01:28:12,960 --> 01:28:17,680 Speaker 3: person's predicament. So yeah, I think it's wonderful. I'll go 1508 01:28:18,400 --> 01:28:21,120 Speaker 3: four and a half nipples. I guess I'm going to 1509 01:28:21,160 --> 01:28:26,640 Speaker 3: give three. Damn Mary Jasser. Oh gosh, really difficult decisions 1510 01:28:26,720 --> 01:28:30,880 Speaker 3: to make here. I will give one to Sahar Hamad. 1511 01:28:31,479 --> 01:28:38,360 Speaker 3: I will give one two. Oh my gosh, wait where 1512 01:28:38,400 --> 01:28:40,160 Speaker 3: we see this Wikipedia page? 1513 01:28:40,439 --> 01:28:41,880 Speaker 4: For what it's worth. Sucks. 1514 01:28:43,640 --> 01:28:46,040 Speaker 3: They don't even have a cast list, and I'm just like, 1515 01:28:46,200 --> 01:28:47,120 Speaker 3: how am I supposed to? 1516 01:28:47,360 --> 01:28:49,800 Speaker 4: I will say, I was like trying to look up 1517 01:28:50,040 --> 01:28:53,800 Speaker 4: the character the Israeli woman's name, and I could not 1518 01:28:54,280 --> 01:28:55,000 Speaker 4: figure it out. 1519 01:28:55,320 --> 01:28:58,480 Speaker 2: I don't think she's listed like on IMDb. 1520 01:28:59,120 --> 01:29:01,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, they've got like even on like you know the 1521 01:29:01,960 --> 01:29:04,280 Speaker 4: way like Google will show you like the top cast 1522 01:29:04,360 --> 01:29:07,640 Speaker 4: when you look up a film. They have like the 1523 01:29:07,880 --> 01:29:10,680 Speaker 4: cat collar before they have her. 1524 01:29:12,080 --> 01:29:16,120 Speaker 3: Okay, I think one, my fourth will go to Salah Bakhry, 1525 01:29:16,280 --> 01:29:18,680 Speaker 3: and then my last half nipples. I think I want 1526 01:29:18,680 --> 01:29:20,639 Speaker 3: to bring up a while ago, one of my favorite 1527 01:29:20,680 --> 01:29:23,439 Speaker 3: movie tropes in the world someone wearing a T shirt 1528 01:29:23,520 --> 01:29:27,400 Speaker 3: with just the name of where they came from. So 1529 01:29:27,479 --> 01:29:30,080 Speaker 3: I'm going to give my last half nipple to Soria's 1530 01:29:30,120 --> 01:29:34,799 Speaker 3: shirt that just says Brooklyn. I love that movie trope 1531 01:29:34,920 --> 01:29:35,400 Speaker 3: so much. 1532 01:29:36,360 --> 01:29:40,080 Speaker 4: Between that and her accent, there is no question You're like, 1533 01:29:40,439 --> 01:29:42,520 Speaker 4: we get it. She's from Brooklyn. 1534 01:29:44,320 --> 01:29:45,200 Speaker 2: Yasmina how about you. 1535 01:29:45,840 --> 01:29:48,320 Speaker 4: I would also give it four and a half nipples 1536 01:29:48,840 --> 01:29:53,679 Speaker 4: for the same reasoning Jamie had so disappointed in Marijuan. 1537 01:29:54,040 --> 01:29:58,400 Speaker 4: Mostly I wish uh tisk I think he deserved better. 1538 01:29:58,920 --> 01:30:02,080 Speaker 4: But yeah, I would like to give them all to Stella. 1539 01:30:02,560 --> 01:30:05,320 Speaker 4: That's it. Maybe to the whole Bakra family, even the 1540 01:30:05,360 --> 01:30:07,880 Speaker 4: ones who are not in it. Sorry, but this is 1541 01:30:08,080 --> 01:30:09,840 Speaker 4: this is not very bechdel cast of me to give 1542 01:30:09,880 --> 01:30:12,640 Speaker 4: it all to men, but men, just. 1543 01:30:13,200 --> 01:30:16,840 Speaker 3: To multiple generations of men. This did maybe want to 1544 01:30:16,880 --> 01:30:19,840 Speaker 3: see her her most recent feature with Sala Bucky and 1545 01:30:19,920 --> 01:30:20,840 Speaker 3: his Father, though, I. 1546 01:30:20,880 --> 01:30:23,280 Speaker 4: Mean like it, just that one. It sounds great, truly 1547 01:30:23,320 --> 01:30:26,680 Speaker 4: impossible to find online. If I find a copy, I'll 1548 01:30:26,720 --> 01:30:27,240 Speaker 4: send it to you. 1549 01:30:27,520 --> 01:30:29,280 Speaker 3: But yeah, let us let us know. 1550 01:30:29,439 --> 01:30:32,240 Speaker 4: It's been kind of heartbreaking because her other films have 1551 01:30:32,560 --> 01:30:36,000 Speaker 4: been on and off accessible, but that one. I don't 1552 01:30:36,040 --> 01:30:37,760 Speaker 4: know what the deal is, so damn. 1553 01:30:38,120 --> 01:30:41,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, keep his posted, and thank you so much for 1554 01:30:41,400 --> 01:30:44,599 Speaker 3: coming on the show like this. This has been so wonderful. 1555 01:30:44,760 --> 01:30:47,320 Speaker 4: Thanks for having me. Of course I've been I've been 1556 01:30:47,320 --> 01:30:50,599 Speaker 4: waiting for the call, so I'm so delighted to be here. 1557 01:30:53,960 --> 01:30:56,639 Speaker 3: Where can listeners follow you online and follow your work? 1558 01:30:57,520 --> 01:31:02,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, so my handles on every everything are my name, Yes, 1559 01:31:02,120 --> 01:31:06,360 Speaker 4: Mina to wheel. My website is Yesmina dashtowheel dot com. 1560 01:31:07,200 --> 01:31:09,080 Speaker 4: It has all the events that I have coming up, 1561 01:31:09,880 --> 01:31:12,400 Speaker 4: whether it's through BAM or Nighthawk or somewhere else, as 1562 01:31:12,479 --> 01:31:15,280 Speaker 4: well as the Polsinian film calendar. I think that's it, 1563 01:31:15,560 --> 01:31:17,559 Speaker 4: or you know, I don't know. Go to the BAM 1564 01:31:17,680 --> 01:31:21,080 Speaker 4: website look at what's coming up next. Yeah. 1565 01:31:21,080 --> 01:31:23,160 Speaker 2: If you live in New York, go to the screenings 1566 01:31:23,320 --> 01:31:25,280 Speaker 2: and we'll buck you the next time we're there. Yeah, 1567 01:31:25,320 --> 01:31:29,040 Speaker 2: we will, Yes, please. You can follow us on Instagram 1568 01:31:29,360 --> 01:31:34,320 Speaker 2: at Bechdel Cast. You can subscribe to our Matreon, where 1569 01:31:34,360 --> 01:31:36,880 Speaker 2: you get two bonus episodes every month, plus access to 1570 01:31:37,000 --> 01:31:40,240 Speaker 2: the back catalog, all for five dollars a month. At 1571 01:31:40,400 --> 01:31:42,759 Speaker 2: patreon dot com slash Bechdel Cast. 1572 01:31:43,479 --> 01:31:46,320 Speaker 3: If you haven't gotten tickets, you can we sell tickets 1573 01:31:46,320 --> 01:31:49,439 Speaker 3: available to our San fond discussion next week January twenty third, 1574 01:31:50,080 --> 01:31:52,920 Speaker 3: or we'll be talking about Titanic. Ever heard of it? 1575 01:31:53,760 --> 01:31:57,360 Speaker 3: And yeah, get our birch at teapublic dot com slash 1576 01:31:57,520 --> 01:32:02,080 Speaker 3: the Bechdel Cast. If you're so inclined with that, Let's 1577 01:32:02,120 --> 01:32:03,599 Speaker 3: rob a bank. Let's rob a bank. 1578 01:32:03,760 --> 01:32:11,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, take back, What's ours exactly? Yeah, Bye Bye. The 1579 01:32:11,880 --> 01:32:15,400 Speaker 2: Bechdel Cast is a production of iHeartMedia, hosted by Caitlin 1580 01:32:15,479 --> 01:32:19,200 Speaker 2: Derante and Jamie Loftis, produced by Sophie Lichterman, edited by 1581 01:32:19,320 --> 01:32:22,799 Speaker 2: Mola Board. Our theme song was composed by Mike Kaplan 1582 01:32:22,960 --> 01:32:26,960 Speaker 2: with vocals by Katherine Volskrosenski. Our logo and merch is 1583 01:32:27,040 --> 01:32:31,040 Speaker 2: designed by Jamie Loftis and a special thanks to Aristotle Acevedo. 1584 01:32:31,720 --> 01:32:35,160 Speaker 2: For more information about the podcast, please visit linktree slash 1585 01:32:35,240 --> 01:32:35,880 Speaker 2: Bechdel Cast