Soraida, a Woman of Palestine

20041 h 59 min 8 secFilm: Documentary

Direction: Tahani Rached

Production: Yves Bisaillon

Script: Tahani Rached

Meeting Soraida will overturn any preconceived notions you may have about Palestine. In her neighbourhood, the women do not all wear veils, the men do not rattle off empty political slogans, the young people do not strap bombs to their belts, and the children play together like children everywhere. Despite the burden of curfews and checkpoints, life goes on in Ramallah.

Taking us into the daily existence of Soraida, her family and neighbours, the film compels us to ask fundamental questions. How can the Palestinians preserve their humanity while living under the Occupation? How can they avoid being consumed by hate and anger, caught up in the cycle of victim and victimizer? How can they resist the omnipresent "culture of death" without evading the painful issue of suicide bombing?

Grappling with these issues will give us a new perspective on Palestine. Just as Soraida, who goes up to the roof of her building to fly a kite, can see her beloved land from above, free and unshackled. In French with English subtitles.

Subject categories


  • Women > Developing CountriesWar Effort
  • Foreign Countries > Israel
  • Developing Countries > Middle EastPortraitsWar, Conflict and PeaceWomen
  • War, Conflict and Peace > Women
  • Women - Portraits > Women in CrisisWomen in Foreign Countries
  • Social Studies > Contemporary Issues
  • History > World History

Credits


participation
Soraïda Abed Hussein
Rula Abu Dahou
Heijar Abu-el Haj
Thuraya Alayan
Rana Mousa
Hanan Mousa
Jameela Mozayan
Hassan Mozayan
Loai Mozayan
Anmar Rafidie
Dara Rafidie
Wisam Rafidie
Aram Sabbah
Rantia Sabbah
Rifaat Sabbah
Sama Salem
Esperanza Shannan
Samia Shannan
Miral Tamimi
Tawfik Tamimi
research
Tahani Rached
script
Tahani Rached
direction
Tahani Rached
director of photography
Jacques Leduc
sound
Yann Cleary
picture editing
Hélène Girard
sound editing
Claude Beaugrand
dialogue editing
Michelle Cloutier
production assistant
Nuha Mousleh
Sylvie Lapointe
still photographer
Jacques Leduc
foley
Lise Wedlock
foley assistant
Alexis Pharand
original music
Jean Derome
musician
Jean Derome
Pierre Tanguay
Normand Guilbault
Guy Ross
Jean René
Abou Nazih
singer
Gassem Mustapha
consultant
Monique Durand
Nicole Lacelle
translation
Qussaï Samak
Christine York
subtitling
Christine York
editing technical support
Danielle Raymond
online editing
Denis Pilon
Denis Gathelier
re-recording
Serge Boivin
Geoffrey Mitchell
titles
Louise Overy
marketing manager
David Boisclair
administrator
Denise DesLauriers
administrative staff
Hélène Regimbal
Lise Lévesque
Marie-Josée Lavoie
technical coordinator
Jean-François Laprise
Brigitte Sénéchal
line production
Johanne Bergeron
executive producer
Yves Bisaillon
producer
Yves Bisaillon

Awards


  • Special mentionWomen Film Festival "La Mo-Viola"
  • Honorable Mention - Category: Social Issues International Film and Video Festival