The Palestinean film "Gaza Mon Amour" presents to the audience a portrait of the Gaza Strip that people may not know. The film portrays the real humanitarian side of the city regardless of the Israeli occupation presence.
The film attempts to refute the myth of Gaza as a ghost city, shedding light on daily life relationships and how people interact with each other.
The film starts with a series of scenes that observe the ordinary daily rituals of an old fisherman including how he sails, how he catches the fish, and how he enjoys cooking.
This old man, Issa, can be linked to Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea." Hemingway traces the meaning of life from Santiago's stand. This concept is present in "Gaza Mon Amour" as the audience traces Gaza from the eyes of Issa, the old man, who witnesses the continuous fall and rise of Gaza.
Issa's love affair with Siham reflects a mood of solidarity and intimacy the city has despite the occupation and political chaos.
There is a persity of characters to represent the various classes of the Palestinian society, for example, Siham's daughter, Leila.
Leila portrays the new Palestinian woman who couldn't situate herself in a successful marriage. At the same time, she failed to adapt to the suffering city.
Unlike Issa's daughter, she a traditional woman who rejects Issa's marriage to Siham because she is a widow and her daughter is porced.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9eSEZlB78Y
The relation between Issa and Apollo statue is reflecting masculinity, youth, sun, music, and harmony. Issa manages to have a harmonious life. Various scenes of the film express how he enjoys everything he does.
Furthermore, the colors and attractive visual effects to catch the eyes of the audience engage them with the very catchy details of the characters' lives.
"Gaza Mon Amour" is directed by Brothers Nasser and starring Salim Dau, Hiam Abbass, and Maisa Abdel Hadi.
The film was screened at 42nd Cairo International Film Festival International Competition.
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