The Time That Remains [Palestine, 2009]

Elia Suleiman’s The Time That Remains is drastically different than any other film I’ve seen dealing with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. There’s no overt vitriol nor is there a sentimental “we can all be one big shiny, happy family” tone. Furthermore, Suleiman offers no simple solutions to the problem. There is, however, a cool sense of detachment in the storytelling and a deadpan sense of humor that makes the message of the film more powerful than if it had relied on more dramatic emotions.

Primarily set in Nazareth, the film begins in 1948 with the city surrendering to Israeli forces. The primary character in the early part of the film is Suleiman’s father, Fuad, played wonderfully by Saleh Bakri. Fuad is detained, beaten and left for dead by the Israeli army and that really kind of sets the tone for the film. Fuad was initially quite defiant but eventually becomes more resigned to his fate and that of his family and the Palestinians in general. It shows the little hassles of life, like Fuad and his friend repeatedly getting harassed by the Israeli army for simply going fishing. The focus eventually shifts to Fuad’s son, Elia (the filmmaker.) I’m not familiar with Suleiman’s life story, but the film is based upon Fuad’s diaries and the letters of his mother (there are quite a few scenes of her writing letters) as well as his personal experiences living in Israel as a Palestinian.

The film comes off as powerful meditation on Palestinian life in Israel. It deals with heavy themes and gives the viewer much to ponder, but it doesn’t do it in a way that’s preachy or heavy-handed. It is the first of Suleiman’s films that I’ve seen, but it definitely won’t be the last.