Laughter Through Tears: Palestine and Self-portraiture in the Films of Elia Suleiman

Over the course of three decades, Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman has crafted narratives both political and deeply personal, often finding moments of wry humour and comedic fantasy against the grim backdrop of Israeli occupation. As Anthony Carew finds, the director has channelled influences as diverse as Jacques Tati and Yasujirō Ozu into work that is ultimately global – and quietly hopeful – in its outlook.

Additional keywords:
Chronicle of a Disappearance, Divine Intervention, The Time That Remains, It Must Be Heaven, Gael Garcia Bernal, Galilee, Nazareth, Haifa, New York, IDF, Buster Keaton, Shin Bet, Arab nationalism, Jean-Luc Godard, Robert Bresson, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Michelangelo Antonioni, Holy Land