The Syrian Bride (2004)

Director:

Eran Riklis

Writers:

Suha Arraf (writer)
Eran Riklis (writer)

Release Date:

2 December 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

In Majdal Shams, the largest Druze village in Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border, the Druze bride Mona is engaged to get married with Tallel...

Awards:

7 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Hiam Abbass	...	Amal (as Hiyam Abbass)
Makram Khoury	...	Hammed (as Makram J. Khoury)
Clara Khoury	...	Mona
Ashraf Barhom	...	Marwan (as Ashraf Barhoum)
Eyad Sheety	...	Hattem
Evelyn Kaplun	...	Evelyna (as Evelyne Kaplun)
Julie-Anne Roth	...	Jeanne
Adnan Tarabshi	...	Amin (as Adnan Trabshi)
Marlene Bajali	...	The Mother (as Marlene Bajjali)
Uri Gavriel	...	Simon (as Uri Gabriel)
Alon Dahan	...	Arik
Robert Henig	...	Joseph (as Robert Hoenig)
Dirar Suleiman	...	Tallel
Ranin Boulos	...	Mai
Hanna Abou-Manneh	...	Rama

Also Known As:

Fiancée syrienne, La (France)
Kala Ha-Surit, Ha- (Israel: Hebrew title)
Syrische Braut, Die (Germany)

Runtime:

97 min | Israel:96 min

Country:

France | Germany | Israel

Language:

Arabic | English | Hebrew | Russian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Galilee, Israel

Company:

Eran Riklis Productions

Trivia:

The movie joke about gap-toothed men being seductive to women was an in-joke by the co-scriptwriter Suha Arraf, toward Mr. Riklis, who is himself gap-toothed. She also included many of her own experiences as an intelligent independent Arab woman living in Israel.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The UN agent says on July 17th 2000 that it's a Thursday. That date was a Monday.

Belonging

This movie offers a glimpse into the lives of a forgotten people struggling with issues of identity and belonging. I sympathized with the sense of isolation and never ending uncertainty.

I think this movie's greatest success, however, is its ability to present the very differing main characters as victims of circumstances.

Being disowned for departing from the acceptable rules carries repercussions that are deep and long-lasting. However, maintaining acceptance within a community that regards change as the dissemination tool of its oppressor, can carry an ever higher price.

The ultimate lesson is that, whether good or bad, change can not be stopped, and alienation ultimately weakens the very system it was evoked to protect.