About this Event
ELIA SULEIMAN'S PALESTINE TRILOGY — co-presented by Mizna
Across three evenings over three months, The Philosophical Research Society's 7th House, in collaboration with Mizna, a leading platform for contemporary Arab and SWANA arts and culture, proudly presents Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman's celebrated PALESTINE TRILOGY: CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE (1996), DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002), and THE TIME THAT REMAINS (2009). Rarely screened in Los Angeles, and even more rarely presented together, these three singular works offer a profoundly moving, darkly humorous, and deeply human portrait of Palestinian life under Israel’s occupation.
One of the most distinctive voices in contemporary world cinema, Suleiman has developed a singular visual language recalling the deadpan physical comedy of Buster Keaton and the meticulous choreography of Jacques Tati. Fans of Roy Anderson and Aki Kaurismäki will find a kindred spirit in Suleiman, whose precisely composed images and exquisitely timed visual comedy transform everyday life into something both wonderfully strange and disarmingly profound. Frequently appearing as a nearly silent observer in his own films, he turns moments of daily occupied life into occasions of surreally absurd comedy, wry resistance, and deeply felt tenderness. But the humor never obscures the grim realities beneath it: the violence of occupation, the indignities of displacement, and the profound sorrow of a people denied their freedom. Instead, it becomes a means of expressing resistance and insisting upon humanity in the face of dehumanization.
Revisiting these films today carries a significance that could scarcely have been anticipated when the trilogy concluded in 2009. Against the backdrop of the ongoing tragedy in Palestine, Suleiman's work takes on a new and often heartbreaking poignancy. Seen together on the big screen, these films offer a deeply human testament to the spirit, memory, and enduring resilience of the Palestinian people.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 — CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE (1996)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 — DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002)
TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 — THE TIME THAT REMAINS (2009)
DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002)
As part of their November series ELIA SULEIMAN'S PALESTINE TRILOGY, The Philosophical Research Society's 7th House, in collaboration with Mizna, proudly presents DIVINE INTERVENTION (2002), the audaciously inventive second installment in Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman's celebrated trilogy. Winner of the Jury Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, this visually striking, darkly comic, and fiercely imaginative portrait of life under occupation finds Suleiman expanding his singular cinematic language into ever more surreal and unexpected territory.
Returning as his nearly silent alter ego E.S., Suleiman navigates a world of simmering tensions, petty indignities, and increasingly absurd encounters, moving between Nazareth and Jerusalem as he cares for his ailing father and pursues a romance with a Palestinian woman living in Ramallah. Separated by Israeli military checkpoints, the lovers' clandestine meetings become acts of quiet defiance, their moments of intimacy unfolding against a landscape of surveillance, restriction, and seemingly insurmountable barriers. Through a succession of meticulously choreographed vignettes, Suleiman transforms the frustrations and tribulations of everyday existence into an astonishing series of visual gags, surreal confrontations, and flights of extravagant fantasy.
If Chronicle of a Disappearance established Suleiman's distinctive approach to political filmmaking, Divine Intervention takes it to brilliant new heights. Here, the deadpan observational humor of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton collides with the heightened visual imagination of a comic-book fantasy, as the power of the heart renders the powerless momentarily invincible and the absurdities of occupation are met with outrageous, nose-thumbing acts of defiance. Beneath its wonderfully anarchic surface lies a deeply felt meditation on love, separation, and the psychological toll of living under constant restriction. In Suleiman's hands, imagination itself becomes an act of resistance, offering fleeting visions of freedom in a world determined to deny it.
Dir. Elia Suleiman, 2002, 92 mins, Palestine/France/Germany/Morocco, Arabic/Hebrew/English w/ English Subtitles, Unrated, Digital.
Tickets: $12 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
ABOUT MIZNA
Since 1999, Mizna has promoted experimental approaches to art, literature, and film; work that questions and expands the forms and conceptual frameworks of Arab and SWANA culture. We publish a biannual print literary and art journal, Mizna, and Mizna Online, a digital platform for literary and multidisciplinary work reflecting critically on the current realities of the SWANA region and beyond. We produce the Twin Cities Arab Film Festival, the largest and longest-running SWANA-centered film festival in the Midwest. Mizna also offers readings, film series, performances, public art commissions, and community events that have featured 1000+ local and transnational writers, filmmakers, and artists.
Learn more at mizna.org and follow on IG at @mizna_arabart
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
Event venue & nearby stays
The Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, United States
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