All That’s Left of You by Emmy-nominated Palestinian Cherien Dabis to premiere at Sundance Film Festival

Ahram Online , Saturday 4 Jan 2025

Written and directed by Emmy-nominated Palestinian American filmmaker Cherien Dabis, All That's Left of You will have its world premiere at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival (18-28 January 2025).

Palestine

 

Described as "extraordinary, profoundly moving," the film chronicles the lives of three generations of a Palestinian family spanning almost 75 years of history.

"After a Palestinian teen confronts Israeli soldiers at a West Bank protest, his mother recounts the series of events that led him to that fateful moment, starting with his grandfather’s forced displacement," reads the synopsis.

All That's Left of You is Dabis's third feature, following Amreeka (2009) and May in the Summer (2013), both of which had their world premieres at the Sundance Film Festival.

The film stars Dabis (as Hanan) in the protagonist's role alongside Saleh Bakri, a multi-award-winning actor, including Best Actor at the Dubai International Film Festival 2017.

Together, they portray a married couple whose profound connection and shared pain are the emotional core of the film while also confronting the weight of Palestinian history, collective sorrow, anger, and generational trauma. 

The film also features a well-accomplished cast, including Mohammed Bakri, a renowned actor with countless awards to his name, including Best Actor at Cannes Arab Critics' Competition 2018 and Best Actor at Cairo International Film Festival 2005; Adam Bakri, Best Actor winner at the Malmö Arab Film Festival 2014; and Maria Zreik.

Dabis herself won numerous awards as a director, including the FIPRESCI Prize for Amreeka (2009) at the Cannes Film Festival Directors' Fortnight segment. The same film also won Best Arabic Film and Best Arabic Screenplay at the Cairo International Film Festival 2009. 

Her 2013 film May in the Summer was nominated for Best Film in the Venice Days segment of the Venice Film Festival.

Most recently, Dabis directed a Disney series titled Only Murders in the Building (2022), earning a nomination for the Prime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (2022). This was the first Emmy nomination for a Palestinian director.

She also directed a few episodes of Ramy, Ozark, and The Sinner.

During the Sundance Film Festival, All That's Left of You will be screened six times, on 25, 26, 27, 28, 30 January and 1 February.

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