Fourteen-year-oldFarhadreamsofattendingschoolinthecitywithherbestfriendFarida,butsheknowsthat,asthedaughterofthemukhtar(theheadofthevillage,playedbyAshrafBarhom),sheisinforanuphillbattleagainsttradition.GirlsFarha’sageareexpectedtomarry. It’s1948,andBritishcontroloverPalestineiscomingtoanend.WhatFarhaandherfatherdonotyetknowisthatforceddisplacementsarealreadyhappeningacrosstheregion.WhenIsraelibombsreachtheirvillage,Farha’sfatherlocksherinthecellaroftheirhome,promisingtoreturnassoonashecan.WhileFarhawaitsandwatchesthroughthecracks,thevillageshewassoexcitedtoleaveistransformedtoruin,threateninganendtothefutureshehadplannedandleavingonlytracememoriesinitswake. AdauntlessandcompellingfeaturedebutbyJordanianfilmmakerDarinJ.Sallam,Farhacapturesboththeisolatingterrorsofwarandthelingeringbeautythatcancolourrecollectionsofdispossession—amentalrecordofthelastlaughshared,thefaintsmelloffreedombeforethevoidofexile.AnimpressiveleadperformancefromnewcomerKaramTaherpunctuatescatastrophiclosswithuncompromisingdetermination. Inthisremarkableanddevastatingstory,Sallam’sresonantdirectorialvoicepresentsapenetratingperspectiveontheNakbaandreturnsthegazetoaculturallegacyinthemidstofaglobalresurgence.
