Maha Haj
Nacimiento : 1970-01-01, Nazareth, Israel
Historia
Maha Haj (Arabic: مها حاج; born in 1970; Nazareth) is a Palestinian filmmaker.
Haj was born in Nazareth. She was educated in the Baptist Christian school in Nazareth, though both her parents were communist activists. Under her father's influence she began studying pharmacy science, but after year switched to literature, and completed her BA in English and Arabic literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and her MA in language and literature at Haifa University. She began working as a teacher, but was more interested in her art and writing, which she practiced in her free time.
She began her cinematic career working as an set designer, script doctor, and art director on such films as Elia Suleiman's The Time That Remains (2009), Ziad Doueiri's The Attack (2012); followed by Adi Adouan's Arabani (2014) and Rafael Najari's Over the HIlltop (2014). In 2009, she wrote and directed the short film Burtuqal, which was released to critical acclaim, and was screened at many international film festivals, and then the documentary film Within These Walls (2010). She achieved international recognition in 2016 with her film Personal Affairs, which had its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, in the Un Certain Regard section. She both wrote and directed the film, which won Best Feature Film at the Haifa International Film Festival. In their reasoning, the judges wrote: "It is a creation that is entirely love of humankind, fluent and funny, captivating and kindhearted, a contemporary human mosaic, both local and universal."
Haj has been outspoken about the difficulties she has faced getting backing for films as a Palestinian. Former culture minister Limor Livnat created regulations according to which films receiving public funds must be presented as strictly Israeli, not as Palestinian-Israeli, causing filmmakers like Haj, who is both Palestinian and an Israeli citizen, politically and ethically.
Writer
Waleed (40) lives in Haifa with his wife and children and dreams of a writing career while suffering from chronic depression. He develops a close relationship with his neighbor (a small-time crook) with an ulterior plot in mind. While the scheme turns into an unexpected friendship between the two men, it leads them into a journey of dark encounters.
Director
Waleed (40) lives in Haifa with his wife and children and dreams of a writing career while suffering from chronic depression. He develops a close relationship with his neighbor (a small-time crook) with an ulterior plot in mind. While the scheme turns into an unexpected friendship between the two men, it leads them into a journey of dark encounters.
Set Decoration
El director Elia Suleiman viaja a diferentes ciudades del mundo en busca de similitudes con su tierra natal, Palestina.
Writer
Una pareja de ancianos vive al ritmo de la rutina diaria en la ciudad de Nazaret. En Ramala, al otro lado de la frontera, su hijo Tarek se empeña en ser el perpetuo soltero; su hija está a punto de dar a luz; el esposo de esta, que es mecánico, obtiene un papel en una película; y la abuela pierde la cabeza. En Suecia, el hijo mayor de la familia espera su visita.
Director
Una pareja de ancianos vive al ritmo de la rutina diaria en la ciudad de Nazaret. En Ramala, al otro lado de la frontera, su hijo Tarek se empeña en ser el perpetuo soltero; su hija está a punto de dar a luz; el esposo de esta, que es mecánico, obtiene un papel en una película; y la abuela pierde la cabeza. En Suecia, el hijo mayor de la familia espera su visita.
Writer
Despite the harsh reality of occupation, a young couple from Ramallah find ways of crossing conventional boundaries and celebrate life even under the most dreadful conditions.
Director
Despite the harsh reality of occupation, a young couple from Ramallah find ways of crossing conventional boundaries and celebrate life even under the most dreadful conditions.
Production Design
Shaul (Uri Pepper), the film’s protagonist, a solitary divorced man, tries to overcome his difficult emotional state. He goes to see his father Shimon (Moni Moshonov) in Haifa and confronts him, blaming his father for all his current woes. Shimon and his partner Betty (Michaela Eshet), try to help Shaul with alternative methods, using stones with magical attributes and therapeutic oils. With their help, Shaul becomes much more optimistic…
Art Direction
After being estranged from his Druze village and family for 17 years, Yoseph returns with his two Israeli, teenage children. His marriage to a Jewish Israeli woman has just ended and he plans to settle down there. His arrival causes friction inside the closed, conservative Druze community and also with his mother Afifa, who accepts him and his children as part of her family again.
Set Designer
After being estranged from his Druze village and family for 17 years, Yoseph returns with his two Israeli, teenage children. His marriage to a Jewish Israeli woman has just ended and he plans to settle down there. His arrival causes friction inside the closed, conservative Druze community and also with his mother Afifa, who accepts him and his children as part of her family again.
Art Direction
Amin Jaafari, un cirujano israelí de origen palestino, está completamente integrado en la sociedad de Tel Aviv. Tiene un matrimonio feliz, una carrera brillante y numerosos amigos judíos. Cuando un ataque suicida en un restaurante deja 19 muertos y la policía israelí le confirma que su mujer, que también ha muerto en la explosión, era la causante del atentado, él rechaza de plano la acusación, pero sus convicciones empiezan a tambalearse cuando recibe una carta póstuma de su mujer confirmándole su protagonismo en la matanza. Destrozado por la revelación y desesperado por entender cómo ha podido pasarle inadvertido cualquier indicio de las intenciones de su mujer, Amin Jaafari abandona el ambiente de relativa seguridad de su patria de adopción y se adentra en los Territorios Palestinos para llegar hasta los fanáticos que la reclutaron... Adaptación del best seller internacional de Yasmina Khadra.
Set Designer
Amin Jaafari, un cirujano israelí de origen palestino, está completamente integrado en la sociedad de Tel Aviv. Tiene un matrimonio feliz, una carrera brillante y numerosos amigos judíos. Cuando un ataque suicida en un restaurante deja 19 muertos y la policía israelí le confirma que su mujer, que también ha muerto en la explosión, era la causante del atentado, él rechaza de plano la acusación, pero sus convicciones empiezan a tambalearse cuando recibe una carta póstuma de su mujer confirmándole su protagonismo en la matanza. Destrozado por la revelación y desesperado por entender cómo ha podido pasarle inadvertido cualquier indicio de las intenciones de su mujer, Amin Jaafari abandona el ambiente de relativa seguridad de su patria de adopción y se adentra en los Territorios Palestinos para llegar hasta los fanáticos que la reclutaron... Adaptación del best seller internacional de Yasmina Khadra.
Director
Writer
An old man, a young man, and an orange tree Two neighbours, a garden, and no words exchanged What happens when interests clash and lines are crossed?
Director
An old man, a young man, and an orange tree Two neighbours, a garden, and no words exchanged What happens when interests clash and lines are crossed?
Art Direction
Film semibiográfico, dividido en cuatro episodios históricos, que narra la historia de una familia (mi familia) desde 1948 hasta la actualidad. La película está inspirada en los diarios de mi padre, empezando por cuando él era un luchador de la resistencia en 1948, y las cartas de mi madre a familiares que eran forzados a abandonar el país desde entonces. Combinados con mis memorias de ellos y con ellos, la película intenta retratar la vida diaria de aquellos palestinos que permanecen en su país y que fueron etiquetados como "árabe-isralíes", viviendo como minoría en su propia tierra.
Set Designer
Film semibiográfico, dividido en cuatro episodios históricos, que narra la historia de una familia (mi familia) desde 1948 hasta la actualidad. La película está inspirada en los diarios de mi padre, empezando por cuando él era un luchador de la resistencia en 1948, y las cartas de mi madre a familiares que eran forzados a abandonar el país desde entonces. Combinados con mis memorias de ellos y con ellos, la película intenta retratar la vida diaria de aquellos palestinos que permanecen en su país y que fueron etiquetados como "árabe-isralíes", viviendo como minoría en su propia tierra.
