Divine Intervention (2002)

Separated by a checkpoint, Palestinian lovers from Jerusalem and Ramallah arrange clandestine meetings.

Director:

Elia Suleiman

Writer:

Elia Suleiman

Stars:

Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader, George Ibrahim

6 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elia Suleiman	...	E.S.
Manal Khader	...	Woman
George Ibrahim	...	Santa Clause
Amer Daher	...	Auni
Jamel Daher	...	Jamal
Lufuf Nuweiser	...	Neighbor with American van
Read Masarweh	...	Abu Basil
Bassem Loulou	...	Abu Amer
Salwa Nakkara	...	Adia (as Salvia Nakkara)
Naaman Jarjoura	...	Uncle
Rama Nashashibi	...	Um Elias
Saiman Natour	...	Friend
Fairos Hakim	...	Bus stop shopkeeper
Khalil Jarjoura	...	Number 6 man
Hamada Shamout	...	Basil

Storyline

Santa Claus tries to outrun a gang of knife-wielding youth. It's one of several vignettes of Palestinian life in Israel - in a neighborhood in Nazareth and at Al-Ram checkpoint in East Jerusalem. Most of the stories are droll, some absurd, one is mythic and fanciful; few words are spoken. A man who goes through his mail methodically each morning has a heart attack. His son visits him in hospital. The son regularly meets a woman at Al-Ram; they sit in a car, hands caressing. Once, she defies Israeli guards at the checkpoint; later, Ninja-like, she takes on soldiers at a target range. A red balloon floats free overhead. Neighbors toss garbage over walls. Life goes on until it doesn't.

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Plot Keywords:

woman | checkpoint | jerusalem | santa claus | mail | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War | Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Pyramide Distribution [France] (French)

Country:

France Morocco Germany Palestine

Language:

Arabic Hebrew English

Release Date:

2 October 2002 (France)

Also Known As:

Divine Intervention

Filming Locations:

East Jerusalem, Palestine

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,228, 19 January 2003

Gross USA:

$421,343

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,675,596

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arte France Cinéma, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Gimages

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min 100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The music used in the opening credit sequence is from an Arabic song by Mohammed Abdulwahab from the 1950s called "Me, suffering, and your love" which are what the majority of the film is about.

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Goofs

At the border, when several cars are told to turn around, the camera is reflected in the side of the cars for several seconds.

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Connections

Featured in Humbert Balsan, producteur rebelle (2006)

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Soundtracks

Mumbai Theme Tune
Composed & Performed by A.R. Rahman

User Reviews

Wha?

Like others who have commented on this film, I, too, cannot stop thinking about it... thinking about how I was lured to the theater by a very good trailer that was crafted, I'm sure, to appeal to my interest in the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, my concerns with world affairs and other cultures. I was used!

From beginning to end, a chain of weak metaphors... Nothing Divine - no intervention. Pure tedium.

Best metaphor? At the very end, a pressure cooker - and the old lady saying "Turn it off."

I can't remember being this disappointed - ever - in a movie that I was so excited about seeing. I didn't laugh, I didn't cry ... Perhaps I should though; for the potential of all that this subject should have inspired in a truly creative and thoughtful writer/director. For shame.