🇵🇸Palestinian Film Fest 2025 Review - Upshot
Images courtesy of Common State.
Despite its 34-minute runtime, Upshot is a poignant production that will not leave the minds of its audience anytime soon. Director and writer, Maha Haj, balances the very fine edge between tranquility and paralysis, delusion and survival, expertly.
The film introduces retired couple Suleiman (Mohammad Bakri) and Lubna (Areen Omari) as they go through the motions of working on their farm. The routine is disrupted by a journalist that begs to open the past. Bakri and Omari perfectly replicate a married couple, their dynamic was realistic, and even humourous at times when discussing the lives of their children. In addition to the natural visuals, a perfect image of domesticity crowded the early half of the film. However, there was a slightly haunting aspect to their interactions as they never discussed anything other than their children and barely spoke except over meals. Haj uses no music throughout the film, only implementing natural soundscapes occasionally, which created a silence that amplified the tension within the story.
The film’s cinematography incorporated clean visuals and natural imagery that complimented the peaceful atmosphere of the farm. The production does not intend to be complex or stylised, opting for simple shots and techniques that do not draw attention to itself. It does so masterfully as it asks to concentrate on the story and characters.
Upshot is a perfect example of utilising simplicity to underline the horror of reality. It is difficult to fully discuss the impact of the film without spoiling it, however, I’d like to make note that the message and its execution was done perfectly. It reminds its audience that war has effects that carry through generations, it does not just stop at casualties.
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Upshot is screening as part of the 2025 Palestinian Film Festival, which runs from the 1st to the 11th of May. For tickets and more info, click here.