The Arab Dream

In this autobiographical film the Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman goes in search of his past and possible future in occupied Palestine. Wherever he looks, he feels surrounded by images and places that have a political significance. Can a landscape be free of meaning, is there any point in striving for an approach that transcends all ideology? Commissioned by the ARTE network as part of a series of films for the end of the millennium, this film is a travelogue through Jerusalem, Nazareth and Ramallah. The film is a meditation on quotidian injustices, and a formulation of an aesthetic and creative response to them.

Directed by Elia Suleiman, The Arab Dream leans on a strong ensemble — Elia Suleiman — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1998.