This elegantly shot and masterfully crafted portrait of Palestinian life offers a rare chance to be immersed in the heart of Gaza, as we glimpse behind the walls of this misunderstood land to get to know the real people who inhabit it. Inside a Gaza City taxi, we meet a teacher, a student and a barber, who all share their dreams and daily predicaments with the driver, Ahmed, using surprising humour and candour. Ahmed could take them anywhere except that a decade old blockade makes it nearly impossible to leave the enclave.
Like its people, Gaza’s landscape feels kaleidoscopic: colourful yet pained, fragile yet resilient, ancient while looking to the future. Memory plays heavy on its consciousness. But life moves in cycles in Gaza and in spite of everything, joy and humanity can be found in every corner of this mosaic of life.
Garry Keane & Andrew McConnell 2019 92mins UK
