Dir/Wri: Arab and Tarzan Nasser | Cast: Nader Abd Alhay- Ramzi Maqdisi and Majd Eid | 90’
Trump’s words about making a riviera of Gaza holds a great deal of weight if you stop to really consider the social and financial benefits to this beleaguered region.
A fabulous climate lush vegetation and white sandy beaches and jobs for the people. What not to like?. What’s not to like is Hamas and its negative impact on a population and country it has dominated for decades.
Once Upon a Time Gaza, takes us back to 2007 where Yahia, a young student, forges a friendship with Osama, a charismatic restaurant owner with a big heart. Together, they start peddling drugs while delivering falafel sandwiches, but they are soon forced to grapple with a corrupt cop and his oversized ego. Meanwhile as Hamas tightens its control Yahia is for forced to seek vengeance for his friend Ossama’s murder.
Arab and Tarzan Nasser are best known for their multi-award winning second feature Gaza Mon Amour (2019), a poetic romance between two sexagenarians. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2020 and was selected to represent Palestine in the 2021 Oscars race.
Here they take full control of writing and directing duties to create a gripping and persuasive thriller that unfolds in the streets of Gaza city and remains captivating throughout. @MeredithTaylor
UN CERTAIN REGARD 2025 | CANNES FILM FESTIVAL