Paradise Now (2005)

Cinema, as with literature or painting, is a form of expression, and Paradise Now is a beautiful speech about humanity. No, this is not just a political drama. This is a film that deserves to be seen because it voices what so many ears reject: a different point of view.

Paradise Now is the story of two young Palestinian men, friends from childhood, both auto mechanics. They are thrilled when they are called upon to carry out a suicide mission in Tel Aviv. As the movie develops, we enter into the lives of Said (Kais Nashef) and Khaled (Ali Suliman) as three dimensional characters immersed in their own culture. The tension during these 90 minutes is as real and complex as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

This story does not demonize or glorify the act or the actors of terrorism. It depicts a river of contrasting opinions inside the Palestinian community and it puts a face to each of them. This picture could have been easily turned into a melodramatic and biased narrative of suffering and despair, but instead, thanks to its elegant script and ironic reality, it triggers your eagerness to understand its different symbols and it foments the discussion of one of the most convoluted conflicts of our times. What else can you ask for in an art flick?

Hany Abu-Assad's feature was filmed under adverse conditions; a real-life explosion killed three people and caused some of his crew to quit, and even two days before the Oscars, a petition was delivered asking the Academy Awards to disqualify the film from the Best Foreign Film category. Paradise Now was not disqualified, but didn't get the prize. Nonetheless, it did get the top award at the Golden Globes and at the Independent Spirit Awards. Do not hesitate and choose this excellent film in your next visit to your closest movie rental place, you won't regret it.