Wedding in Galilee = Noce en Galilee [Widescreen]

Abu Adel, the Mukhtar of a Palestinian village is given permission to hold a traditional wedding for his son on the condition that the Israeli military governor and his staff be guests of honor at the ceremony. Agreeing to the governor’s condition immediately created division and anger amongst his family, and the village community, resulting in a conspiracy by some of the younger men to sabotage the wedding and kill the governor and his soldiers. Conflict between families, the underlying tension between the Israelis and the wedding guests, failure of the groom to consummate his marriage, and the hatred which the groom has for his father, are just some of the many threads which weave this intriguing story together to provide an insight into the culture, contradictions and hostilities which exist in occupied Palestine. “Wedding in Galilee” was the first feature film made in Palestine by a Palestinian director, Michel Khleifi (Forbidden marriages in the Holy Land, 1995), who believes that “culture is meant to be controversial”. This international multi-award winning film is controversial in more ways than one with its blend of politics and culture, and sensuality and sexuality. Although a slow-moving, lyrical film, there is however, an underlying intensity, an expectation that disaster is imminent. Sadly and quite ironically, the Intifada began only six months after the film was shot. Cast includes Makram Khouri, Youssef Abou Wardeh, Jouliano Mer Khamis, Buchra Karaman, Anna Achdian, Nazih Akleh, Sonia Amar. (Awards: Cannes; San Sebastian; Belgium; Tunisia) In Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles.