Divine Intervention (Yadon ilaheyya) Friday, July 19, 2024 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Introduced by Tish Stringer, MFAH lead projectionist
Writer/director Elia Suleiman stars in this collection of cinematic vignettes capturing the absurdity of everyday life under occupation. A dark comedy in the style of Jacques Tati or Buster Keaton, Suleiman’s Divine Intervention pokes fun at tragic situations and encourages the audience to do the same in ironic, imaginative scenes about garbage, neighbors, and dating.
The surreal logic highlighted in the film played out in real time during its release more than 20 years ago. Divine Intervention seemed poised to secure an Oscar nomination after winning the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes but was rejected by the Motion Picture Academy because entries must be nominated by their nation of origin, and Palestine was not recognized as a nation.
Underwriting for the Film Department is provided by Tenaris, The June Leaf and Robert Frank Foundation, and the Vaughn Foundation.
Generous funding is provided by The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea; Nina and Michael Zilkha; Lois Chiles; Foundation for Independent Media Arts; Franci Neely; Carrin Patman and Jim Derrick; Ms. Laurence Unger; L'Alliance Française de Houston; and ILEX Foundation.
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Divine Intervention (Yadon ilaheyya)
Directed by Elia Suleiman
(France/Morocco/Germany/Occupied Palestinian Territory, 2002, 92 minutes, in Arabic, English, and Hebrew with English subtitles)
Brown Auditorium Theater, digital