Photo: Still from Palestine Stereo
Screening as part of the Prospects of Arab Cinema program at the 36th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, Palestine Stereo (Falastine Stereo) is a classic tale about the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The film follows two brothers who work on an off-service ambulance van. They are set on earning $10,000 by setting up a borrowed sound system to power protests, vigils and press conferences. The film is loaded with clichés: separated lovers, missing family members and threatened olive tree plantations all play out to the backdrop of Ramallah, a city entrenched in international development money and redundant pledges by politicians.
Perhaps the most heartwarming element of the film is the series of hopeful love messages sent by Laila to her fiancé Sami, a loopy-eyed former electrician who lost his ability to speak following an Israeli-led bombing in Jenin.
Falastine Stereo is the latest feature from Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, who is most noted for Laila's Birthday (2008).
The next screening will be on Thursday 13 November at 10pm at the Small Hall, Opera House.
Check out the festival's complete programme and Ahram Online's recommendations here.
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