Mars at Sunrise

Saturday 11/08 at St. Anthony Main Theatre 6:30pm | get tickets >>>

Synopsis:
Khaled is an accomplished Palestinian painter living and working in Ramallah who determines to defy Israeli occupation by refusing to leave his home, a space within which he can reclaim an existential independence. However, even this independence—by withdrawal and voluntary seclusion—is denied him, as he is arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and persuaded to collaborate by his interrogator, tormentor and unfulfilled artist Eyal. At once allusive and visceral, fractured and cohesive, Mars at Sunrise explores a contested occupation as a space that is psychic rather than geographic, and no less harrowing.

2014
75 minutes
Narrative feature
Directed by: Jessica Habie
Language: Arabic/English/Hebrew/Persian/Russian/Yiddish
Country: Palestine/Canada/US
Website | Trailer

“The filmmaker based her script on the actual prison experiences of Palestinian artist Hani Zurob, with the added imaginative twist of making his soldier-jailer Eyal a failed artist whose cruelty stems from creative envy and frustration. She also adds a succinct, almost romantic framing device to supply a listener for the Palestinian artist’s story.” (link)

Festivals and Awards:
East End Film Festival (UK): award for Best Soundtrack

Filmmaker bio (from her website):
Jessica Habie is founder of Eyes Infinite Films. Her films include “Mandatory Service” (2008 Tribeca Film Festival Best Documentary Short Award), “Art and Apathy”, and “Beyond Blue and Gray”, (with creative partner Nirah Shirazipour, awarded a Cannes Short Film Corner prize). Proceeds for her current feature Mars at Sunrise will go to Fajr Falestine Film Fund, supporting the production of genre-defying films from the Palestinian Diaspora.