‘All That’s Left of You’ Review: Cherien Dabis’ Drama Poignantly Traces Decades of Palestinian Displacement

by

In the opening of Cherien Dabis’ profound historical drama, “All That’s Left of You“, a riot breaks out in a refugee camp. The year is 1980, and the occupied West Bank serves as the backdrop. Noor (Muhammad Abed Elrahman, outstanding), a confident and spirited Palestinian teenager, decides to participate in this uprising. As he stands among his neighbors, friends, and acquaintances, Israeli soldiers open fire. In a swift transition (edited by Tina Baz), the next scene reveals Noor’s mother Hanan (Dabis) looking somberly into the camera. She explains that she wishes to share her son’s story, but in order to truly understand him, she must start from the very beginning.

At Sundance, the film titled “All That’s Left of You” follows the story of a single Palestinian family from 1948 up until today. This is director Dabis’ third time showcasing her work at the festival; her previous movies “Amreeka” and “May in the Summer” were also premiered there for the first time. The film offers a poignant and personal account of the impact that displacement has on families throughout generations, raising questions about how expulsion can lead to dehumanization and what kind of lives can be built amidst chronic displacement.

At Sundance, the movie “All That’s Left of You” tells the story of a Palestinian family from 1948 up until now. This is director Dabis’ third time at the festival; her previous movies were also first shown there. The film shares a heartfelt and personal story about how being forced to leave one’s home affects families over generations, making us wonder about how people can be treated inhumanely due to displacement and what kind of lives can still be made when one is constantly moving.

Over the past year and a half, marked by Israel’s attacks on Gaza and subsequent ceasefire talks, global conversations have resurfaced about the struggles faced by Palestinians worldwide. These dialogues have been strengthened by a few recent documentaries such as “From Ground Zero” by Watermelon Pictures and the Oscar-nominated (yet unreleased in the U.S.) film “No Other Land”. The former captures the real-time devastation in Gaza, while the latter delves into Israel’s tactics for encroaching on the West Bank.

The insightful touch provided by Dabis enhances these impressive pieces, providing understandable historical background and a moving depiction of endurance. While All That’s Left of You falters slightly in its final act, meandering towards a resolution that was more succinctly stated earlier, the tender and empathetic acting delivered by Dabis’ cast maintains our interest in this multi-generational tale.

Hanan’s tale of Noor begins with his grandfather residing in Jaffa during the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1948, a time often referred to as the initial Nakba or “catastrophe.” This phase was marked by intense violence that forced over half a million Palestinians to flee from their homes. The narrative opens with a captivating scene featuring Sharif (Adam Bakri from Omar) enjoying his grove of oranges, which lies behind the grand house where he dwells with his spouse and offspring.

In the film, Dabis meticulously depicts Sharif’s peaceful existence, which is shattered when the British withdraw their forces from Palestine. At first, distant explosions echo softly, enabling Bakri’s portrayal of Sharif – a man brimming with warm confidence – to calm his anxious family. As danger creeps nearer, Sharif’s reassurances that this difficult time will pass grow increasingly poignant. Eventually, Sharif decides to evacuate his family from Jaffa, but he remains behind to watch over their home. This heartrending farewell marks the beginning of many generations being torn apart.

Dabis’ movie powerfully resonates as it highlights the profound impact of small, everyday instances: scenes such as Sharif standing in an orange grove, his kids reciting Arabic verses enthusiastically during dinner, and the heart-wrenching goodbye as they depart from the house. The beautiful cinematography by Christopher Aoun accentuates the poetic nature of these events, while also intensifying the pain of the disruptions. Following their departure from Jaffa, Sharif is taken into custody and sent to a labor camp, where he endures inhuman treatment, leaving him a mere shadow of his former self.

In this upcoming significant time leap, the story “All That’s Left of You” moves us to the early 1970s. The character Sharif, portrayed by Mohammad Bakri as an older man, dwells in a refugee camp situated in the West Bank. The power of this chapter is heightened by the way Dabis depicts the nuanced political differences between Sharif and his adult son Salim, who is played by Saleh Bakri from “The Blue Caftan“. (It’s a poignant choice that Dabis has chosen real-life father and son for these roles.) Unlike Sharif, Salim chooses to keep a low profile. The boy who once delighted in reciting poetry has grown into a man with moderated ideals. Bakri delivers the quiet school teacher with a heartrending softness: The reserved educator, whom we witness helping children cope with harsh realities through imaginative play, prefers to suppress memories of his childhood in Jaffa.

Here, the movie powerfully portrays daily life during occupation. Dabis paints a vivid picture of recurring curfews, frequent degradation by Israeli forces, and the heartbreaking routine of goodbyes, all woven into an emotional story that highlights the evolving rifts between Sharif, Salim, and eventually Noor.

The film titled “All That’s Left of You“, lasting approximately 145 minutes, maintains a consistent speed that conceals its duration until the last act. Once Hanan’s flashback concludes, the narrative jumps to 1980, shedding light on Noor’s destiny and taking us on a time-bound trip complicated by the harsh bureaucracy of apartheid.

Following that point, Dabis’ movie seems to stumble through to its poignant finale. This part could have been strengthened with a more streamlined editing process; earlier sequences might have conveyed the director’s message more succinctly. During this closing segment, there are instances where it appears as if various conclusions have been pieced together.

Nonetheless, Dabis, a Palestinian-American filmmaker, has created a movie that carries depth due to compelling performances. The director delivers an emotional performance as Hanan, and her portrayal of a nurturing mother serves as the foundation for the storyline. However, it’s the four male characters who are called upon to embody generational suffering that make up the tender heart of the film All That’s Left of You.

Read More

2025-01-30 19:26