Palestinian actor Hiam Abbas spoke during an in-depth career talk with Italian actor Valeria Golino (Rain Man) at the Rotterdam International Film Festival on Sunday about the “obligation” of appearing in films such as Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36. The Succession star said it felt like an “obligation” to star in the historical film, as “Palestinian history is in danger of being erased and forgotten every day.”
“When you’re born into a struggle, sometimes you don’t know the difference between what’s artistic and what’s obligatory, and[Palestine 36]is one of those examples.” Abbas cited another recent example in “Bye Bye Tiberias,” directed by his daughter Lina Soualem and depicting Abbas’ life after leaving Palestine. “For me, both films are like visiting the history that I inherited.”
Palestine 36, which premiered at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, is set in a Palestinian village that revolted against British colonial rule in 1936. In a review for Variety, Mourtada El-Fadl praised the historical epic, saying, “It’s epic in scale, ambitious in its storytelling, and balanced in its historical scope and equal attention to detailed characterization. Palestine’s Oscar entry has many stories to tell, but it still manages to uniquely portray many of its characters and give specificity to its various locations.”
Abbas added that he met Jaseer on the set of “Rummy” and the two “enjoyed each other’s creativity.” When the director expressed his interest in working together, the actor immediately said that he would be happy with whatever he brought to the table.
“Being a part of that film was important to all of us[in the film],” she continued, speaking of “Palestine 36.” “It was really important to permanently inscribe the archive of Palestinian history into a film that is in some sense an archive of the future.”
Provided by Toronto Film Festival
The film was notoriously difficult to make. Jacir and her team were building a vast and complex set for filming in Palestine, which was scheduled to begin on October 14, 2023. Unsurprisingly, production was halted when war broke out on October 7th, and after several postponements, the film was finally relocated to Jordan, where filming began in late 2024.
“We were like, ‘What do we do?’ Wait a day, two days, three days, two weeks…nobody knows what’s going on,” Abbas recalled. “They decided to hold on for a month or two, but things got worse and worse. The villages they built were targeted by West Bank settlers, and it was too risky to bring people back. It was impossible from an insurance standpoint.”
The actor described the logistical nightmare of flying from his home in Paris to Jordan for filming, especially as tensions in the region soared. For many months, Abbas was preparing for filming, but it turned out to be impossible. “I fought to be on set. It was a victory to finally be able to do this movie. All of a sudden, you realize that everyone involved in the movie thinks the same way and feels the same way. I’ve never experienced such a victory in[my]artistic life or in any work I’ve ever worked on. This is basically an example of how to survive. When it comes to those kinds of movies, it’s more than just an artistic choice.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Abbas spoke about his directorial career, which began in 2001 with the short film “Le Pin.” His 2012 directorial debut, “Inheritance,” was screened in Venice, and he went on to direct television with “Ramy.”
“It kind of happened out of necessity,” she said of her urge to direct. “I left Palestine for Love Story and went to London and settled in Paris. Then I became a mother, because it was also very important for me to take time for that. I really thought that as a mother, as a woman, I had something to say. How long can you sit and wait for that role to come when you have so much to say about life?”
To date, Abbas has directed only one feature film. Does she have any future plans for her sophomore effort? “I don’t have time,” she said. “Acting didn’t give me the possibility to sit down and write or create, and I wasn’t going to do it just for the sake of it. I have a few stories lined up, but I’m in no hurry.”
