Synopsis
Through a feminist lens, Wiaam from Syria and Orian from Israel seek to examine alternative methods of protest against occupation, racism and violence in current Israel. They grapple with the decision of whether to leave or stay, take action or remain home.
Through a feminist lens, Wiaam from Syria and Orian from Israel seek to examine alternative methods of protest against occupation, racism and violence in current Israel. They grapple with the decision of whether to leave or stay, take action or remain home.
Full credits
- Section
- International Short Film Competition
- Director
- Orian Michaeli, Wiaam khater
- Choreographer
- Orian Michaeli, Wiaam khater
- Production countries
- Canada and Israel
- Production year
- 2023
- Duration
- 20 minutes
- Producer
- Orian Michaeli, Wiaam khater
You might also like:

Flying Low Out of Competition
Freya Björg Olafson, 2011, CA, 2 min
Created with virtual bodies found online, Flying Low is part of Freya Björg Olafson’s ‘Keystroke Choreographies’ series. Each of the videos in the series are compositional studies that use popular contemporary dance techniques as a framework for virtual choreography. Flying Low is a movement technique developed by David Zambrano that focuses on the dancers’ relationship with the floor. Movement patterns involving breath, speed, and release are used to activate the relationship between a dancer’s core and joints, as they move into and away from the ground with efficiency.

Never Look At The Sun Breaking the Chains
Baloji , 2019, FR, 5 min
Using his trademark assemblage of esoteric costume and visual metaphors, Congolese-Belgian hitmaker and filmmaker Baloji explores the practice of skin lightening in black communities. Euphemistically described as ‘brightening’ or ‘toning’, skin bleaching takes many innocuous forms, such as creams, buffs and soaps to deal with hyperpigmentation, but is more often used by women to emulate Eurocentric beauty standards.

Kankantri Breaking the Chains
Gabri Christa, 2024, NL, SR, US, 25 min
A woman enters a Synagogue and is transported to the parallel universe of all her ancestors who do not let her leave until she participates in their dances and rituals. The film is inspired by Gabri Christa’s first time visiting the Neve Shalom in 2000 where she was overwhelmed by the building and the emotions it brought to her. It spurred her into researching her Surinamese father’s lineage, which revealed that she had indeed also Jewish ancestors. As the famous Surinamese writer Cynthia McCleod says “when you shake your family trees, a few Jews fall out”.