Divine Intervention

Overview

Santa Claus tries to outrun a gang of knife-wielding youth. It's one of several vignettes of Palestinian life in Israel - in a neighborhood in Nazareth and at Al-Ram checkpoint in East Jerusalem. Most of the stories are droll, some absurd, one is mythic and fanciful; few words are spoken. A man who goes through his mail methodically each morning has a heart attack. His son visits him in the hospital. The son regularly meets a woman at Al-Ram; they sit in a car, hands caressing. Once, she defies Israeli guards at the checkpoint; later, ninja-like, she takes on soldiers at a target range. A red balloon floats free overhead. Neighbors toss garbage over walls. Life goes on until it doesn't.

Details

Cast

Elia Suleiman

E.S.

Nayef Fahoum Daher

Father

Manal Khader

The Woman

George Ibrahim

Santa Claus

Jamel Daher

Jamal

Amer Daher

Auni

Lutuf Nouasser

Neighbor with American van

Riad Masarweh

Abu Basil

Bassem Loulou

Abu Amer

Salwa Nakkara

Adla

Naaman Jarjoura

Uncle

Rana Nashashibi

Um Elias

Salman Natour

Friend

Fares Hakim

Bus-stop Shopkeeper

Khalil Jarjoura

Number 6 Man

Hamada Shamout

Basil

David Belle

Marksman 1

Nazira Suleiman

Mother