Happy Holidays

Program:

Festival of festivals

Year:

2024

Country:

Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar

Genre:

Fiction

Duration:

124'

Four interconnected characters share their unique realities, highlighting the complexities between genders, generations, and cultures. Rami, a Palestinian from Haifa, is dealing with his Jewish girlfriend’s sudden change of heart about her planned abortion. His mother, Hanan, is facing a financial crisis and becomes entangled in complications while seeking compensation for her daughter’s Fifi accident. Miri is forced to confront her daughter’s depression while also working to undermine her sister’s pregnancy with Rami. Fifi grapples with the guilt of hiding a secret that risks her family’s reputation and her burgeoning relationship with Dr. Walid.

Schedule

Scandar Copti

Scandar Copti is a Palestinian filmmaker and visual artist from Yafa. Renowned for his unique approach to working with non-actors, he teaches this technique at NYU Abu Dhabi and internationally. His work draws on personal experiences and broader societal and political narratives, offering a nuanced perspective on the Palestinian minority in Israel. Copti’s debut feature film, AJAMI, co-directed with Yaron Shani, received the Camera d’Or Special Mention at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominate for Best Foreign Language Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. His video art projects have been exhibited worldwide, and he is also the recipient of the Sutherland Trophy.

Filmography: Happy Holidays (2024), Ajami (2009)

Creative team

Director

Scandar Copti

Screenplay

Scandar Copti

Camera

Tim Kuhn

Editing

Scandar Copti

Production design

Stella Rossié