Proche Orient : que peut le cinéma ? | The Middle East : what can cinema do ?

Screening date: 22-11-2007 -- 20h30

Gaza, Another Kind of Tears

Small and large cement hunks, attached wires, bored soldiers detaining people, keeping them standing for hours, all day long, bothering them with endless questions. Hussein is a young man who arrives early in the morning carrying his victuals waiting for any soldier to release him for the crossing… to the settlement…

Years have passed while Hussein has been working for Efraim, the settler who colonized the land and established a lot of green houses on Palestinian land, simply justifying his harsh actions by his need for privacy and silence, those two things that he didn't find in Tel Aviv. The land had belonged to Abu Maher – Hussein's father, who was besieged by the settlements. His family was dispersed but, despite all these hard circumstances, was able to stay in contact emotionally and through video cassettes.

One night, joy and happiness entered Abu Maher's family, Hussein and Kamilia's. That night was the night when Israel announced its withdrawal from Gaza Strip and everyone was celebrating the occasion with dancing and joy.

Unfortunately, this withdrawal was a beginning of different kind of tears.

Country: Palestine
Production: Abdelsalam Mohammed Shehada
Year: 2006
Director: Abdelsalam Mohammed Shehada
Editing: Yosef Atwa, Rose Fawaz
Cinematography: Abdelsalam Shehada, Mahmoud Albayed
Music: Saed Murad
Son (sound) : Mohamed Abu Sedo, Mohamed Diab
DVCam – color – 50min

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biography

Abdelsalam Mohammed Shehada received a BA in computer sciences (programming and systems analysis) from the American University of Cairo in 1983. This Palestinian-born filmmaker, who currently resides in Gaza, has worked extensively for television agencies as director and cameraman, from Japanese Television to the BBC, Reuters, Swiss Television and Beesan Television Productions. He is head of production at the Ramattan News Agency, Palestine. His films have travelled to many festivals worldwide and received awards.

Filmography:
Palestinian Diaries (1991, 52 mn)
The Environment (1994, 22 mn)
Human Rights are Women's Rights (1995, 25 mn)
Little Hands (1995-1996, 26 mn)
Near to Death (1997, 26 mn)
Water – the Reality of the Challenge (1998, 35 mn)
The Cane (2000, 26 mn)
The Shadow (2000, 43 mn)
Debris (18 mn) 2001
Rainbow (40 mn), 2004
Gaza, Another Kind of Tears (50 mn) 2006