Paradise Now
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Hany Abu-assad
Kais Nashif
Ali Suliman
Lubna Azabal
Amer Hlehel
Hiam Abbass
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Two young Palestinian men embark upon what may be the last 48 hours of their lives. On a typical day in the West Bank city of Nablus, where daily life grinds on amidst crushing poverty and the occasional rocket blast, we meet two childhood best friends, Saïd and Khaled, who pass time drinking tea, smoking a hookah, and working dead-end menial jobs as auto mechanics. Saïd's day takes a turn for the better when a beautiful young woman named Suha brings her car in for repairs. From their spirited interaction, it is apparent that there is a budding romance growing between them. Saïd is approached by middle-aged Jamal, a point man for an unnamed Palestinian organization, who informs Saïd that he and Khaled have been chosen to carry out a strike in Tel Aviv. They have been chosen for this mission as a team, because each had expressed a wish that if either is to die a martyr, the other would want to die alongside his best friend. Saïd and Khaled have been preparing for this moment for most of their lives. They spend a last night at home-- although they must keep their impending mission secret even from their families. During the night Saïd sneaks off to see Suha one last time. Suha's moderate views, having been educated in Europe, and Saïd's burgeoning conflicted conscience cause him to stop short of explaining why he has come to say good-bye. The following day, Saïd and Khaled are lead to a hole in the fence that surrounds Nablus, where they are to meet a driver who will take them to Tel Aviv. But here the plan goes wrong, and Saïd and Khaled are separated.
Director
Hany Abu-assad
Cast
Kais Nashif
Ali Suliman
Lubna Azabal
Amer Hlehel
Hiam Abbass
Ashraf Barhom
Crew
Hany Abu-assad
Bashir Abu-rabia
Baher Agbariya
Bero Beyer
Bero Beyer
Hamoudi Buqai
Sabine Franke
Antoine Htberlt
Amir Harel
Uve Haussig
Peter Hermann
Matthias Lempert
Walid Maw'ed
Olivier Meidinger
Gerhard Meixner
Hengameh Panahi
Roman Paul
Jina Sumedi
Sander Vos
Friderike Weber
Lara Zoabi
Film Details
Technical Specs
Award Nominations
Best Foreign Language Film
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Winner of the 2005 award for Best Foreign Language Film by the National Board of Review (NBR).
Winner of the Berliner Morgenpost Reader's Prize and the Amnesty International prize at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival.
Released in United States Fall October 28, 2005
Released in United States on Video March 21, 2006
Released in United States 2005
Released in United States February 2005
Released in United States September 2005
Shown at New York Film Festival September 22-October 9, 2005
Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Competition) February 10-20, 2005.
Released in United States Fall October 28, 2005
Released in United States on Video March 21, 2006
Released in United States 2005 (Shown at New York Film Festival September 22-October 9, 2005)
Released in United States February 2005 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (Competition) February 10-20, 2005.)
Released in United States September 2005 (Shown at Telluride Film Festival September 2-5, 2005.)
Palestine
