synopsis

Four interconnected characters share their unique realities, highlighting the complexities between genders, generations, and cultures. Rami, a Palestinian from Haifa, is dealing with his Jewish girlfriend’s sudden change of heart about her planned abortion. His mother, Hanan, is facing a financial crisis and becomes entangled in complications while seeking compensation for her daughter’s Fifi accident. Miri is forced to confront her daughter’s depression while also working to undermine her sister’s pregnancy with Rami. Fifi grapples with the guilt of hiding a secret that risks her family’s reputation and her burgeoning relationship with Dr. Walid.

director's statement

The inspiration for Happy Holidays began with a conversation I overheard as a teenager. A female relative told her son, “Don’t ever let a woman tell you what to do,” referring to his wife. This paradox revealed how deeply entrenched patriarchal values are and how they compel even women to uphold them. Later, during my university years, I observed similar patterns in Israeli society, where many narratives and rituals are leveraged to support and sustain both the patriarchy and militarisation of Israeli society. Happy Holidays begins with a car crash during the Purim holiday and ends during the siren of Israeli Memorial Day. These holidays are “celebrated” in the film, and their effects on our characters build up, eventually leading the audience to emotionally experience the impact of these reality construction mechanisms. In Happy Holidays, I aim to critically examine these mechanisms and their impact on individuals’ values through two intertwined stories told from four perspectives. The stories showcase good human beings trapped in a corrupt system. Through these stories, I hope to spark conversations about the values and beliefs shaping our lives and challenge viewers to rethink the norms they live by. No one is truly free until women are free, and no one is truly free until we all are free.

© La Biennale di Venezia