Houston Palestine Film Festival 2024
Welcome to the Houston Palestine Film Festival! This year, we are excited to present our most diverse and engaging film lineup yet. From powerful documentaries to heartwarming narratives, our 2024 films promise to provoke thought, spark conversation, and leave a lasting impact.
Join us as we showcase the rich tapestry of Palestinian culture through the lens of talented filmmakers. Dive into stories of resilience, hope, and the human spirit that will transport you to the heart of Palestine and beyond.
Whether you're a film enthusiast, a supporter of Palestinian voices, or simply looking for a unique cinematic experience, our 2024 lineup has something for everyone. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in captivating storytelling and celebrate the power of film to bridge cultures and connect hearts.
Experience the beauty, depth, and diversity of Palestinian cinema at the Houston Palestine Film Festival 2024. Get your tickets now and be part of a cinematic journey like no other.
From May 17 to May 19, 2024
Location: Rice Cinema, Sewall Hall, Room 301
Discounted parking is available at Founder’s Court, a $6 flat rate, and a credit card is required.
Feature Films
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Feature Films 〰️ HPFF 2024 -
Bye Bye Tiberius
Lina Soualem - Director
In her early twenties, Hiam Abbass left her native Palestinian village to follow her dream of becoming an actress in Europe, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and seven sisters. Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to the village and questions for the first time her mother’s bold choices, her chosen exile and the way the women in their family influenced both their lives. Set between past and present, Bye Bye Tiberias pieces together images of today, family footage from the nineties and historical archives to portray four generations of daring Palestinian women who keep their story and legacy alive through the strength of their bonds, despite exile, dispossession, and heartbreak.
Three Promises
Yousef Srouji - Director
Is the story of Palestiniana mother and her camera, of a son and his suppressed memories, and of an entire country. At the start of the 2000s, while the Israeli army is retaliating against the second intifada in the West Bank, Suha films her daily family life, punctuated by frequent trips underground and overwhelmed by the anguish of her two young children. At every moment of intense danger, she promises God that she will leave if they survive
Inshallah a Boy
Amjad Alrasheed - Director,Writer
After the sudden death of her husband, Nawal is struggling to cope with the upheaval in her life.
However, her pain is soon compounded by the possibility of losing her home to her brother-in-law. Desperate to keep her home and provide a stable life for her daughter, Nawal resorts to deception by faking a pregnancy. But as time passes, the lie becomes harder to sustain and Nawal faces a difficult choice. With only three weeks to find a solution, Nawal embarks on a journey that challenges her fears, beliefs, and morality, as she fights to secure her rightful inheritance and protect her daughter's future.
The Teacher
Farah Nabulsi - Director
Palestinian schoolteacher Basem (Saleh Bakri) grapples with personal devastation after a tragic incident involving his son. His life takes an unexpected turn when he forms a deep connection with Adam, one of his students, while also developing an unexpected bond with British social worker Lisa (Imogen Poots). Simultaneously, a high-profile American attorney and his wife seek the return of their son, an Israeli soldier held captive by a Palestinian resistance group. The group’s demand for a prisoner exchange creates tensions with authorities, intensifying the search for the soldier and drawing Basem and Adam’s neighbourhood into turmoil. Oscar-nominated director, Farah Nabulsi weaves these disparate yet interconnected stories into a gripping drama that is marked by empathy, unexpected twists, and unceasing provocations, anchored by Saleh Bakri's power-house performance.
A House in Jerusalem
Muayad Alayan - Director
Young Rebecca is forced to move with her father from the UK to Jerusalem, in the hopes that a new beginning can help her heal from her mother's sudden death.
Soon after settling into an old house in a neighbourhood known as the Valley of the Ghosts, a series of mysterious events begin and Rebecca is blamed. Diving deep into the mystery of the house and the mystical city of Jerusalem, Rebecca sets out on an enigmatic journey to discover what hides in the shadows of the house.
Crafted by the talented duo Muayad and Rami Alayan, A HOUSE IN JERUSALEM is an eerily suspenseful and touching story told through the eyes of a young girl, exploring the strength of memory and the power of love.
LYD
Rami Younis & Sarah Friedland
A story of a city that once connected Palestine to the world — what it once was, what it is now, and what it could have become.
Short Films
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Short Films 〰️ HPFF 2024 -
The Key
Rakan Mayasi - Director
Moshe and Elza, an Israeli couple, are awoken by the cries of their 6-year-old girl, Edina, who frequently hears someone trying to open the front door.
Zoo
Tariq Rimawi - Director
As Sami is wandering through the worst zoo in the world while looking for his ball, he crosses paths with a little tiger named Laziz, which follows him on his quest to find a safe place to play.
Against all odds, they become friends. But the remnants of war harbor danger.
Trying to Survive
Bashar Al Belbisy - Director
filmed recently in Gaza by director Bashar Al Balbisi, a member of the popular arts troupe "Al Fursan," depicting the challenges faced by the troupe amidst the bombings.
An Orange From Jaffa
Mohammed Almughanni - Director
Mohammed, a young Palestinian, is desperately looking for a taxi to take him through an Israeli checkpoint. The driver, Farouk, discovers that Mohammed has already failed to cross the checkpoint. Trouble begins.
Hamza: Chasing the Ghost Chasing Me
Ward Kayyal - Director
Hamza is a middle-aged man who refuses to abandon a routine he has kept since his release from Israeli jail; every day, he goes into the woods to hunt a lion that the locals don’t believe exists.
Mar Mama
Majdi El Omari - Director
Haunted by her mother’s death and recurring attacks by Israeli forces on her city, a young girl becomes obsessed with death. To distract her, her father makes a stop-motion film. However, his attempts fail and the girl finds nothing other than imagination to escape from reality.