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Chronicle of a Disappearance (1997)
Synopsis
Told through a series of vignettes centered in and around Jerusalem, a look at how Israel’s Arab population is dealing with its constantly shifting and waning national identity.
This film is a courageous work of autobiographical fiction, a false chronology in two parts that begins in Nazareth, the Palestinian filmmaker's birthplace and the largest Arab city within the State of Israel.
Suleiman presents us with funny, incisive vignettes that emphasize the dislocation felt by the Arab population. He calls the first part of his film a "personal diary."
Cast: Elia Suleiman, Ola Tabari, Nazira Suleiman, Fuad Suleiman, Jamel Daher, Juliet Mazzawi, Fawaz Eilemi, Leonid Alexeenko, Iaha Mouhamad
The film's second part is a "political diary" - a playful allegory set in chaotic, modern Jerusalem. In Suleiman's film, the "personal" and "political" intersect at odd angles. The surprise visit a pajama-clad Suleiman receives from Israeli militia can be considered "personal" as well as "political." The same goes for an image of his parents, asleep in their living room as the Israeli national anthem blares on TV. CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE is part of a cultural phenomenon: artists who are simultaneously Israeli citizens and Palestinian nationals are searching for the meaning of Palestinian independence within the State of Israel.
Suleiman's deadpan humor masks a subversive vision, questioning the very idea of "Arab Israeli" identity. To add to the political irony, this film was selected to receive substantial financial support from the Israeli Fund for Quality Film. Best First Feature Film, 1996 Venice Film Festival. 1997 Sundance Film Festival. ( Summary from SFJFF )
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Read about this film
Title: Chronicle of a Disappearance (1997)
Directed by: Elia Suleiman
Date of birth: 28 July 1960, Nazareth, Israel
Writing credits:
Elia Suleiman
Country: Palestine | Israel | USA | Germany | France
Language: Arabic | Hebrew | French | English
Color: Color
Runtime: 88 min.
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