Palestinian film ‘Gaza Mon Amour’ has been making waves this film festival season, and it just landed its first major award. The feature, directed by twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser, has won the NETPAC Award at the 45th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
‘Gaza Mon Amour’ debuted at Venice Film Festival, and is the Nasser brothers’ second feature film. As the only Arab film to have been screened at this year’s TIFF, it makes its win all the more notable. The jury described the film as a “a heart-warming, thought-provoking and poetic tale of unspoken emotions portraying daily life in Gaza”.
‘Gaza Mon Amour’ (2020)
Featuring a star-studded cast that includes Palestinian actors Salim Daw and Hiam Abbass (who also stars in ‘Ramy’ and ‘Succession’), the film tells the story of a 60-year-old Palestinian fisherman named Issa who is in love with a dressmaker at the local market. The film trails his mission to propose, with his plans thwarted after he finds an ancient Greek statue during one of his fishing trips. Authorities ultimately find out about Issa’s discovery, causing him trouble.
The win marks the Nasser brothers’ first win at TIFF, but not their first nomination. The brothers were also nominated for the Discovery Award for their film ‘Dégradé’ in 2015, which initially premiered at the Cannes Film festival in the same year.
‘Dégradé’ (2015)
