Inheritance

As a conflict between Israel and Lebanon looms, the members of an extended Palestinian family meet for the wedding of the patriarch’s oldest granddaughter. The festivities are ruined not only by air-raid sirens, but also by hints of discord among the wedding party. The time has passed when everyone observed the opinions and decisions of the recognized head of the family, the patriarch grandfather. The differences between his children (who still respect Muslim traditions) and their adult offspring (who observe traditions only as a formality) are beginning to show. The girls in particular are increasingly pushing for emancipation, which in Hajar leads to open rebellion. Hiam Abbass, an actress who has appeared in many important pictures, is intimately familiar with the environment depicted in her film. She succeeds not only in presenting living portraits of the various members of a Palestinian family, but also manages to masterfully pull their personal stories together. The film, which was shown at last year’s festival in Venice, also allows the audience feel what it’s like to live under the constant threat of war. The director plays the wife of the old patriarch. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)