Paradise Now (2005)

Two childhood friends are recruited for a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.

Director:

Hany Abu-Assad

Writers:

Hany Abu-Assad, Bero Beyer

Stars:

Kais Nashif, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 13 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lubna Azabal	...	Suha
Hamza Abu-Aiaash	...	Checkpoint Soldier
Kais Nashif	...	Said
Lutuf Nouasser	...	Car Owner (as Lotuf Neusser)
Ali Suliman	...	Khaled
Mohammad Bustami	...	Abu-Salim
Ahmad Fares	...	Tea Boy
Waleed On-Allah	...	Taxidriver Suha
Asaad Dwikat	...	Shawarma Shop Owner
Imad Saber	...	Shawarma Customer
Mohammad Kosa	...	Photographer
Amer Hlehel	...	Jamal
Hiam Abbass	...	Said's Mother
Nour Abd El-Hadi	...	Said's Sister
Amjad Al-Imlah	...	Said's Brother

Storyline

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. ...

---

Plot Keywords:

martyr | reference to muhammad | settler | friend | betrayal | 

---

Taglines:

From the most unexpected place, comes a bold new call for peace.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Warner Independent Pictures [United States]

Country:

Palestine France Germany Netherlands Israel

Language:

Arabic English

Release Date:

18 November 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

El paraíso ahora

Filming Locations:

Israel

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$48,023, 30 October 2005

Gross USA:

$1,457,843

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,579,902

Company Credits

Production Co:

Augustus Film, Lama Productions, Razor Film Produktion GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first Palestinian film to be nominated for an Academy Award.

---

Goofs

When Khalid speeds away in the green car the camera man is reflected in the car's windows.

---

Quotes

Car Owner: It's still crooked.
Said: What?
Car Owner: It's still crooked.
Said: What, the bumper?
Car Owner: What else?
Said: It's brand new.
Car Owner: Maybe, but it's still crooked.
Said: I'll take another look at it, sir.
Car Owner: What for? It's crooked!
Said: I don't think so.
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in The 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards (2006)

User Reviews

many reasons this is a must-see!

Paradise Now is an authentic film that poetically deals with one of the most prickly and difficult issues facing the world today. It is a natural and elegant film, which leaves you thinking and feeling in ways you did not expect. For those who say that such a movie should not be shown, or that there is no value in pondering such topics from this viewpoint - my response is that open awareness and the exchange of ideas is the beginning of a solution. You cannot suppress reality, or freedom of speech and expression. This film vividly demonstrates that life is not black and white - we live in shades of gray. This is a perspective that should be seen, and deserves to be shown.