A flying female ninja suicide bomber, a dialogue-free romance carried out between two lovers on opposite sides of an Israeli checkpoint, and a smiling balloon of Yasser Arafat floating peacefully above Jerusalem. These are only a few of the many treats on offer in Elia Suleiman’s majestic depiction of contemporary Palestinian life. Set during the final days of the Oslo Peace Process, such seemingly disparate vignettes are held together by Suleiman himself, his blank expression effortlessly evoking memories of Buster Keaton. He even manages a spot of slapstick destruction, as an Israeli watchtower comes crashing down. The film won the Fipresci Prize at Cannes.

France-Morocco-Germany-Palestine 2002/Dir Elia Suleiman.
With Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader.
93 mins.