Happy Holidays (Palestine, Germany, France, Italy, Qatar) is directed by Scandar Copti, a Palestinian filmmaker, film writer, and actor.

The film presents "four interconnected characters who share their unique realities, highlighting the complexities between genders, generations, and cultures," reads the film's synopsis.

According to the Hollywood Reporter: "The interconnected structure lays the ground for a gripping mystery attentive viewers will be eager to solve. Copti pulls committed performances from his cast of non-professional actors, who ground the feature with their sobering portrayals of Jewish Israelis and mostly Palestinian Christians grappling with existential questions."

Born in Jaffa in historic Palestine, Copti's films examine the social problems of Arab-Palestinian society in Israel. His debut feature film, Ajami (2009), created with Israeli filmmaker Yaron Shani, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, representing Israel.

Following the viewers' questions related to Copti's Palestinian origins versus the Israeli linking of the film, the filmmaker explained in one of the interviews, "I do not represent Israel," arguing that the "technical thing" is based on the film's funding coming from there. 

The 81st edition of the Venice International Film Festival closed on 7 September. 

This year, the Orizzonti selection included two films from the Arab region. Besides Happy Holidays, the Orizzonti also screened Aïcha (Tunisia, France, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar), directed by Mehdi Barsaoui (Tunisia).