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To a Land Unknown

Mahdi Fleifel
festival
Sat 26 Apr 25 - Sat 3 May 25
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age

This nuanced film, told from the perspective of a migrant, is a complete portrayal full of relevant themes, humor, harsh reality, and a touch of poetry. 
 
 

"In a way, the fate of the Palestinians is not to end up where they started, but somewhere unexpected and far away”. The film opens with this quote from the influential Palestinian-American intellectual and writer Edward Said. For Chatila and Reda, that unexpected place is Athens, where they find themselves stranded. But their true destination is Germany, where they dream of opening a café together.

A fascinating and well-made film that starts as a charming and observational blend of humor and melancholy, but gradually unfolds to an intricate character study of the migrant. The film is also ambitious, dealing with a series of striking and challenging themes. Not only is it an vital example of socially aware and urgent cinema, but also a gripping and poetic exploration of two individuals trying to build a better life.

direction
Mahdi Fleifel
cast
Angeliki Papoulia, Mahmood Bakri, Mohammad Ghassan
duration
105 min
year
2024
country
Greece, Palestine, State of, Denmark
language
Arabic, English, Greek
Subtitles
English
  • Caution with children up to 16 years of age

festival

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Mahdi Fleifel

director

Director Mahdi Fleifel’s tale of displacement, desperation and the lengths one man will go to survive makes for suspenseful, melancholic viewing. Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian