The Bride & the Dowry

Ibrahim Abu Nab, Palestine, 1983 26 mins

Arabic, English, English subtitles

The Bride and The Dowry + two other heritage films provide fascinating glimpses of Palestinian life from a previous era.

introduced by Saeed Taji Farouky

We are delighted that Saeed Taji Farouky will introduce and set the context for this programme of three short heritage Palestinian films.

Saeed is a Palestinian / Egyptian/ British filmmaker who has been making films around themes of conflict, human rights, and colonialism since 2005. He is designer and lead tutor of the Radical Film School, a free film course based in London dedicated to political filmmakers from marginalised backgrounds.

The Bride and the Dowry is one of the first documented testimonies from Palestinian civilians and Mayors, and shows the daily struggles of surviving under the constant threat of settler violence. It presents harrowing accounts of Palestinians who have been tortured and imprisoned, illustrating the brutal reality of their resistance. It also tells the story of a Palestinian leader targeted for assassination as he demands justice for his people, highlighting the severe consequences of defying the occupation.

These examples feel very contemporary and resonate with what we continue to see on our television screens from the West Bank.

The director, Ibrahim Abu Nab, born in Jerusalem in 1931, was a renowned Palestinian editor, journalist, filmmaker, and poet. He made significant contributions to Arab media, founding several influential newspapers across the Middle East. In 1965, he established the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Media Department, playing a pivotal role in the Palestinian struggle. Known for his unwavering integrity, Abu Nab’s legacy of truth and advocacy endured until his death in 1991.

The Way to Palestine Layaly Bader, Palestine, 1985, 7mins

Seven-year-old Layla lives in a refugee camp outside Palestine. Her father was killed and she was badly injured from an air raid. This film shares the life of Layla and her friends, who tell us how they imagine Palestine despite them having never seen it. Layaly Bader is a Jordanian/ Palestinian filmmaker.

Jerusalem: the Flower of All Cities Ali Siam, Palestine, 1969, 7mins

The Flower of all Cities provides a rare example of the work of Palestinian photographer and cinematographer, Hani Jawharieh, (1939 – 1976) one of the founding fathers of Palestinian Cinema. Using the soundtrack, “The Flowers of all Cities”, a famous song by Fairouz, the film presents a harmonious picture of Palestinian civil life that is disturbed by the Israeli army’s occupation of the city following the 1967 war with Israel. The film captures the essence of the period, the way in which Palestinians and Arabs viewed Jerusalem and their rage at its occupation by the Israeli army. Given recent events, the film continues to hold contemporary relevance.