The screening will include a Q&A with the film’s director Scandar Copti (via Zoom), and an introduction by Yael Friedman.

When Palestinian Rami discovers his Israeli girlfriend Shirley is pregnant, he panics, fearing the implications of raising a child in an environment in which they can’t even be seen together in public. Palestinian director Scandar Copti’s powerful drama, filmed with non-professional actors, captures the raw humour, heartbreak, as well as the religious, political and social tensions in a mixed Arab-Jewish community in Haifa.

Speakers

Scandar Copti is an Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker and visual artist. His work explores the interplay between individual agency and broader socio-political forces, offering a nuanced portrayal of 1948 Palestinians within their complex reality. He teaches filmmaking at NYU Abu Dhabi. His debut feature, Ajami (2009), co-directed with Yaron Shani, garnered the Caméra d’Or Special Mention at Cannes, the Sutherland Trophy at the BFI, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Copti’s second feature, Happy Holidays (2024), premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay. The film also received the Étoile d’Or (Golden Star) at the Marrakech International Film Festival and the Golden Alexander at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, among other awards.
Beyond narrative cinema, Copti’s video art and performance projects offer a satirical critique of corporate culture and political narratives.

His forthcoming documentary, A Childhood, blends eyewitness footage and animation to reveal how Israel’s occupation systematically criminalizes Palestinian children, targeting their identity and erasing childhood through a sustained logic of domination.

Donations

All donations from this year’s festival will go to Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS), providing humanitarian assistance as well as health and social services to Palestinians whenever and wherever needed. You can donate here.