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The Time That Remains (2009)

The Time That Remains (2009)

7.8

Elia Suleiman remembers his family in this absurdist, slice-of-life comedy

Movie

Belgium, France
Arabic, English, Hebrew
Drama, History
2009

TLDR

It’s easy to compare Suleiman to Wes Anderson, but should we? They have completely different points to make.

What it's about

The region of Mandatory Palestine, 1948-present. During the creation of the Israeli state, a Palestinian family remains in their homeland, eventually labelled as Israeli-Arabs.

The take

While many Palestinians had to leave their homeland, there are some families that stayed within the region. One such family is that of Palestinian director Elia Suleiman. The Time That Remains is a semi-biographical film that depicts each generation of the family in excellently framed, colorful shots, but while each scene is a beauty to watch, there’s an ugly undercurrent with the way one group is treated over the other. The film contrasts the stoic actions of Elia’s father Fuad and that of the Israeli soldiers, teachers, and nurses around them, and the contrast channels a dry sort of humor that pokes at the absurdity the occupation places 20% of its citizens through. It’s a smart, subtle way to depict the rage felt by the many people that remained in the area, as well as the sadness they must have felt with the loss, the pain, and the displacement they’ve gone through.

What stands out

Saleh Bakri looks and moves like he comes straight from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

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