The Time That Remains

Writer-director Elia Suleiman co-stars in this strange and wonderful film that follows a family from the 1948 declaration of the state of Israel through to present day. Suleiman plays himself in the final portion of the movie, quietly observing the final moments of his mother’s life and trying to figure out the madness of the land in which he currently resides. The early portions deal with father-figure Fuad (Saleh Bakri) and his days as a freedom fighter who provides guns for his neighbors. We see him beaten mercilessly, and then slowly deteriorate into a sad and lonely death. Oh, did I mention this is a comedy? It is—and a funny, if dark one, at that. Suleiman has a gift for sight gags, including an amazing one where a tank tracks an oblivious Palestinian as he takes out the trash and chats on the phone. Some of the humor is also quite shocking and violent. The film is funny and often sad, a daring work from a director who likes to take chances.