Paradise Now (2005)
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- PG-13
- 1h 31min
- Crime, Drama
- 18 Nov 2005 (USA)
- Movie
Two childhood friends are recruited for a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 16 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Lubna Azabal | ... |
Suha
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Hamza Abu-Aiaash | ... |
Checkpoint Soldier
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| Kais Nashif | ... |
Said
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| Lutuf Nouasser | ... |
Car Owner
(as Lotuf Neusser)
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| Ali Suliman | ... |
Khaled
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Mohammad Bustami | ... |
Abu-Salim
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Ahmad Fares | ... |
Tea Boy
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Waleed On-Allah | ... |
Taxidriver Suha
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Asaad Dwikat | ... |
Shawarma Shop Owner
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Imad Saber | ... |
Shawarma Customer
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Mohammad Kosa | ... |
Photographer
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| Amer Hlehel | ... |
Jamal
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| Hiam Abbass | ... |
Said's Mother
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Nour Abd El-Hadi | ... |
Said's Sister
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Amjad Al-Imlah | ... |
Said's Brother
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Dina Titi | ... |
Khaled's Sister
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Yosef Abo Dheir | ... |
Khaled's Father
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Sadi El-Masri | ... |
Khaled's Attendant
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Hana Sha'alan | ... |
Khaled's Mother
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Nabeel Shaheen | ... |
Video Camera Man
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Ayman Swedan | ... |
Barber
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Jamal Shaheen | ... |
Explosive Maker
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Hafez Mueen | ... |
Explosive Attacher
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Jamil Sawalmeh | ... |
Guard 1
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Deya Deen Hamaideh | ... |
Guard 2
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Thabet Abu-Zarour | ... |
Guard 3
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| Ashraf Barhom | ... |
Abu-Karem
(as Ashraf Barhoum)
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Bassam Al-Nubani | ... |
Fighter 1
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Mohammad Kaskas | ... |
Fighter 2
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Nabeeh Jum'a | ... |
Fighter 3
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Mohammad Arabbas | ... |
Fighter 4
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Saed Mayaleh | ... |
Fighter 5
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Dirar Suleiman | ... |
Taxidriver Said
(as Derar Suliman)
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Mohammad Jibreel | ... |
Van Driver
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Wagde Ode | ... |
Jamal's Assistant
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Tha'er Abu-Zarour | ... |
Shawarma Customer
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Olivier Meidinger | ... |
Abu-Shabaab
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Salwa Ibrahim | ... |
Khaled's Mother
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Abdulrahman Thaher | ... |
Mechanic
(as Abd Elrahman Thaher)
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Jamel Daher | ... |
Car Owner (voice)
(as Jamal Daher)
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Directed by
| Hany Abu-Assad | ||
Written by
| Hany Abu-Assad | ... | () |
| Bero Beyer | ... | () |
| Pierre Hodgson | ... | () |
Produced by
| Bero Beyer | ... | producer |
| Muhammed Buqai | ... | associate producer |
| Rémi Burah | ... | co-producer |
| Amir Harel | ... | producer |
| Peter Hermann | ... | line producer |
| Gerhard Meixner | ... | producer |
| Koji Nelissen | ... | assistant producer |
| Hengameh Panahi | ... | producer |
| Roman Paul | ... | producer |
| Jeroen van den Idsert | ... | co-producer |
| Rozemarijn Vermeulen | ... | assistant producer |
| Yani | ... | co-producer |
Music by
| Jina Sumedi | ||
Cinematography by
| Antoine Héberlé | ||
Editing by
| Sander Vos | ||
Editorial Department
| Michael Reuter | ... | post-production coordinator |
| Philip Whitfield | ... | telecine colorist |
Production Design by
| Olivier Meidinger | ||
Art Direction by
| Bashir Abu Rabi'a | ||
Set Decoration by
| Samir Hawa | ... | (2005) |
Costume Design by
| Walid Mawed | ||
Makeup Department
| Friderike Weber | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Baher Agbariya | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Sabina Franke | ... | first assistant director |
| Enas I. Muthaffar | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Kay Schilling | ... | property master: indoor |
Sound Department
| Adrian Baumeister | ... | dialogue editor |
| Kostas Gkikas | ... | adr mixer |
| Noemi Hampel | ... | sound editor |
| Uwe Haussig | ... | sound |
| Matthias Lempert | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Carsten Richter | ... | foley artist |
| Marcus Sujata | ... | adr mixer / foley mixer |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Roger Altmann | ... | electrician |
| Ehab Assal | ... | assistant camera / focus puller |
| Miki Berdougo | ... | electrician |
| Axel Dietrich Berger | ... | gaffer (as Axel Berger) |
| Yana Mitnick | ... | electrician (as Yana Mitnik) |
| Georg Nonnenmacher | ... | gaffer |
| François Perrault-Alix | ... | key grip |
| Frank Schmidt | ... | electrician |
| Laurie Sparham | ... | still photographer |
| Jürgen Steil | ... | key grip |
| Markus Wichmann | ... | electrician |
| Jorge Marroquín Winkelmann | ... | electrician |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Almut Stier | ... | assistant costume designer |
Additional Crew
| Ossama Bawardi | ... | production crew |
| Bob Buchholz | ... | English language director |
| Paul Federbush | ... | Executive |
| Tony Greenman | ... | legal services |
| Feras Jabbour | ... | production crew |
| Koji Nelissen | ... | production intern |
| Nadia Saah | ... | publicity and marketing consultant |
Thanks
| Christopher McQuarrie | ... | thanks |
| Ed Solomon | ... | thanks |
| Alesia Weston | ... | special thanks |
Production Companies
- Augustus Film
- Lama Productions
- Razor Film Produktion GmbH
- Lumen Films
- Arte France Cinéma
- Eurimages
- Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen
- Hazazah Pictures
- Lama Films
- Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
- Nederlands Filmfonds
Distributors
- Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2005) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- 1More Film (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Arthaus (2005) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Constantin Film (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
- Frenetic Films (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- Haut et Court (2005) (France) (theatrical)
- NonStop Entertainment (2005) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Sharmill Films (2005) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (2005) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Filmarti (2005) (Turkey)
- Medyavizyon (2005) (Turkey)
- Alfa Films (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
- Filmhouse (2006) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Europa Filmes (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
- Four Films (2006) (Chile)
- Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
- Highlight Film (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
- Canvas (2008) (Belgium) (tv)
- Nederlandse Programma Stichting (NPS) (2010) (Netherlands) (tv)
- Great Movies Distribution (2021) (Brazil) (video) (SVOD)
- Europa Filmes (2005) (Brazil)
- Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2022) (United Arab Emirates) (Middle East, North Africa and Persian/Arabian Gulf)
- Gluon Media (2017) (Non-US) (Latin America)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Holland Equipment (camera equipment provided by)
- KO Creative (poster design)
- KO Creative (trailer)
- Technicolor (prints)
- Toronto International Film Festival (festival)
- World Cinema Fund (funding)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Palestinians Said and Khaled, now in young adulthood, have been lifelong friends living in Nablus in the West Bank. They have both had what they consider a difficult life, now working side-by-side in unfulfilling jobs as auto mechanics in a small garage, being unfulfilling as difficult as the jobs were to get. Those difficult lives includes feeling like they are prisoners in the West Bank, Said who has only left the region once on a medical issue when he was six. They blame all their problems on the oppression by the Israelis. As such, they have volunteered and have been accepted by a Palestinian resistance group to carry out a suicide bombing mission in Tel Aviv: after the initial response to the first bomb, the second bomb would be detonated at the same site. Following the bombing, the resistance group would release pre-taped video messages of Said and Khaled confessing to the bombing in the name of God. The mission would require Said and Khaled to cross "illegally" into Israel. They are not afraid of death in light of their deaths having some meaning, and in feeling like their lives are like being dead anyway. In the process of carrying out the mission, they end up being separated which could jeopardize not only the mission but their individual lives without their death being in the name of a cause, that is if they cannot locate each other. In this their time apart, Said and Khaled may have time to think about what they are about to do, their thoughts not only shaped by their different family histories, but Said's budding friendship/romance with a young woman named Suha, the daughter of a wealthy and famed Palestinian, she who has only recently moved back to the West Bank after years living overseas. Written by Huggo |
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| Taglines | In the next 36 hours, two childhood friends may do the unthinkable. See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | When the film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, much controversy surrounded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' decision to designate it as a submission from the Palestinian Authority, rather than Palestine. Due to much protestation from writer-director Hany Abu-Assad, the film was eventually announced by Will Smith as being a submission from the Palestinian territories. See more » |
| Goofs | When Khaled makes his speech for the second time, two of the people watching him are eating pitta. The man with the purple T-shirt is holding the pitta with his right hand in one shot, with his left in the next. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2006 (2006). See more » |
| Quotes |
Said:
I was born in a refugee camp. I was allowed to leave the west Bank only once. I was 6 at the time and needed surgery. Life here is like life imprisonment. The crimes of the occupation are countless. The worst crime of all is to exploit the people's weaknesses and turn them into collaborators. By doing that, they not only kill the resistance, they also ruin families, ruin their dignity, and ruin an entire people. When my father was executed, I was 10 years old. He was a good person. But he grew weak. For that, I hold the occupation responsible. They must understand that if they recruit collaborators, they must pay the price for it. A life without dignity is worthless. Especially when it reminds you day after day, of humiliation and weakness. And the world watches cowardly, indifferently. If you're all alone, faced with this oppression... you have to find a way to stop the injustice. They must understand that if there's no security for us there'll be none for them either. It's not about power. Their power doesn't help them. I tried to deliver this message to them but I couldn't find another way. Even worse, they've convinced the world and themselves that they are the victims. How can that be? How can the occupier be the victim? If they take on the role of oppressor and victim then I have no other choice but to also be a victim and a murderer as well. I don't know how you'll decide, but I will not return to the refugee camp. See more » |