Man Without a Cellphone
Fall Grant 2010 - Post-Production Stage
Sameh Zoabi / Feature Narrative / Belgium, France, Palestine, Qatar / 2010 / 80 min / Colour / Original Language: Arabic, Hebrew / Interests: Comedy, Social Issues, Identity
Synopsis
A humorous, sharp take on the social milieu of a Palestinian village inside Israel. Jawdat just wants to have fun with his friends, talk on his mobile and find love – a near-impossible task in a place where politics and traditional values dominate. Adding to Jawdat’s problems is his curmudgeonly father, Salem, who drags Jawdat and the entire village into his outrageous battle with an Israeli cell-phone tower that he fears is poisoning them with radiation. Salem’s hysterical behaviour stands in stark contrast to Jawdat’s cool attitude to win the hearts of Muslim, Christian and even Jewish girls while wrestling with college entrance exams. The social injustice faced by Israel’s minority class only appears to take second place to a more jovial narrative here, as good-natured humour often has a stronger impact than heavy polemics.
Credits
- Director
- Sameh Zoabi
- Screenwriter
- Sameh Zoabi, Fred Rice
- Producer
- Marie Gutmann, Amir Harel, Jacques-Henri Bronckart
- Production Company
- Mereo Films, Lama Films
About the Director
Sameh Zoabi was born and raised in Iksal, a Palestinian village near Nazareth. He graduated from Tel Aviv University with a degree in film studies and English literature. In 2000, Zoabi received a Fulbright fellowship to pursue an MFA in film direction from the School of the Arts at Columbia University.
Awards and Festival History
Festivals
Doha Tribeca FF 2010 (WP)
New Directors/New Films 2011, The Film Society of Lincoln Center and Museum of Modern Art (NYC)
Karlovy Vary IFF 2011
Chicago IFF 2011
Palm Springs IFF 2011
Golden Antigone, CINEMED 2011
Audience Award, Mons IFF 2011
Jury Special Mention, Milan African, Asian and Latin America FF 2011