Tuesday, April 14, 8:30 p.m. | In 2007, Yahya is working at his friend Osama’s falafel shop in Gaza, which doubles as a front for drug dealing. His entanglement in the operation leads him to witness a terrible crime. Years later, Gaza’s Ministry of Culture randomly chooses Yahya to star in a TV series that highlights martyrs and heroes of the resistance. As conflict simmers in the background, Yahya unexpectedly receives real weapons, heightening the stakes as the show provides him with a chance to confront the person responsible for the offense that changed his life.
Preceded by:
A SHORT FILM ABOUT A CHAIR
2024, dir. Ibrahim Handal, 10 min, Palestine, In Arabic, English and French with English subtitles
A lonely chair on an abandoned balcony, a photographer watching it day and night. A strange thing happens that will change the life of the chair forever.
STUCK
2025, dir. Usman Ally, 11 min, USA, In English and Arabic with English subtitles
On the morning of October 7th, Dana — a drifting young Palestinian-American woman — wakes up to a world that’s suddenly shifted. Haunted by the younger spirit of her father, a legendary activist, she’s pushed to confront her fear, her inheritance, and her voice as tensions rise around her.
Chicago Palestine Film Festival | April 11–25, 2026
Founded in 2001, the Chicago Palestine Film Festival (CPFF), a program of the Middle East Charitable and Cultural Society Inc., a non-profit organization, is an annual cultural event that serves as a vibrant platform for showcasing the rich and diverse narratives of Palestinian cinema. Film synopses provided by CPFF. Learn more at palestinefilmfest.com.
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu