A diverse group of people taking a selfie, smiling with various international flags.

International Competition

Life Is Beautiful

(Life is Beautiful)

When young Palestinian filmmaker Mohamed leaves for his first trip to Europe, he has no idea that his 1-month stay in Tromsø, Norway, will turn into forced exile with no end in sight. It’s 2014. The only access route to his native Gaza is closed indefinitely.

As a Palestinian, Mohamed is stateless in the eyes of the Norwegian authorities. His right to stay legally in the country is thwarted, since despite his talent and experience he has no formal film training. He decides to document the cold northern days filled with waiting for the border to open and the authorities’ decision, while his entire life in Gaza is reduced to video chats via an impersonal screen. The warm support of Mohamed’s new community in Norway is interspersed with reports of new attacks on Gaza. How does one cope with feelings of helplessness, fatigue, and constant homesickness when one’s destiny is not in one’s own hands?

03/22 15:30

Světozor Cinema – large hall, Vodičkova 41, Praha 1

Discussion
Mohamed Jabaly, Director
Anna Kotvalová, Moderator

tickets

03/25 21:00

Prague Municipal Library – small hall, Mariánské nám. 1, Praha 1

Discussion
Lucie Alalu Šarkadyová, Moderator
Yara Abu Aataya, Artist

tickets

03/28 18:30

Světozor Cinema – small hall, Vodičkova 41, Praha 1

tickets

Title	Life Is Beautiful
Original Title	Life is Beautiful
Original Language	Arabic, English, Norwegian
Subtitles	Czech, English
Premiéra	Czech premiere
Film type	Full-length documentary
Year of Production	2023
Country of Origin	Norway, Palestine
Length	93 min.
Tags	Migration, Europe, Middle East
Director	Mohamed Jabaly

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