An Unusual Summer

  • 80'
  • Palestine
  • 2020

A street corner in the Palestinian district of Ramla, in Israel. Neighbours going to work; children playing; mothers doing the shopping; at night, a man running past; a boy throwing a stone. Further away, a garden and a busy road. All this was recorded by the security camera Kamal Aljafari’s father installed in 2006, in the hope of catching the vandal who kept on damaging his car.

After his father’s passing, Aljafari finds the footage. He uses it as the raw material for this idiosyncratically edited and manipulated impression with fitting musical accents, a touch of dry humour and succinct intertitles. Such as: “Abu Rizeq, what’s he doing so early in the morning?” Or: “A man is in love with my sister.” Sometimes, a child – the director’s niece – gives a commentary in voice-over. Finally, a text full of highly personal memories puts it all into context – also politically. The result is a sober, poetic homage to this neighbourhood, dismissively referred to by Israel as ‘the ghetto’. An artistic act of resistance against eradication.

  • 80'
  • Palestine
  • 2020
Director
Kamal Aljafari
Country of production
Palestine
Year
2020
Festival Edition
IFFR 2021
Length
80'
Medium
DCP
Language
Arabic
Producer
Kamal Aljafari
Sales
Kamal Aljafari
Screenplay
Kamal Aljafari
Cinematography
Abedeljalil Aljafari
Editor
Kamal Aljafari
Sound Design
Kamal Aljafari, Rob Walker
Cast
Voice of: Darine Dibsi
Director
Kamal Aljafari
Country of production
Palestine
Year
2020
Festival Edition
IFFR 2021
Length
80'
Medium
DCP
Language
Arabic
Producer
Kamal Aljafari
Sales
Kamal Aljafari
Screenplay
Kamal Aljafari
Cinematography
Abedeljalil Aljafari
Editor
Kamal Aljafari
Sound Design
Kamal Aljafari, Rob Walker
Cast
Voice of: Darine Dibsi