It Must Be Heaven

It Must Be Heaven

A modern Jacques Tati figure sips wine and witnesses an oddball scene: someone is stealing fruit from his neighbor, taking permission for granted. Yet every day he encroaches a little more, as if he’s actually the owner. Elia Suleiman embodies another silent version of himself, coming up with new subtle and elusive ways to portray Palestinian ghettoization. This time, his alter ego distances himself from his aching homeland, in search of homeliness: yet, Paris and New York will prove hostile and hollow. When faced against the inherent chaos of life, what else is there to do but sit back and stare in bemusement?

Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.


Direction: Elia Suleiman
Script: Elia Suleiman
Cinematography: Sofian El Fani
Editing: Véronique Lange
Sound: Lars Ginzel
Actors: Gael García Bernal, Ali Suliman, Kwasi Songui
Production: Rectangle Productions, Nazira Films, Pallas Film, Possibles Media, Zeyno Film
Producers: Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Édouard Weil, Laurine Pelassy, Serge Noël
Co-producers: Zeynep Ozbatur Atakan, Georges Schoucair
Costumes: Alexia Crisp-Jones, Éric Poirier
Sets: Caroline Adler
Format: DCP
Color: Color
Production Country: France
Production Year: 2019
Duration: 97´
Contact: Wild Bunch, sales@wildbunch.eu
Awards/Distinctions: Special Mention – Cannes FF 2019

Elia Suleiman

Palestinian Elia Suleiman directed his first two widely awarded short films Introduction to the End of an Argument and Homage by Assassination while living in New York. His debut feature film Chronicle of a Disappearance won the Best First Film Award at the Venice Festival, while his film Divine Intervention was bestowed with the Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Award at the Cannes Film Festival. His film The Time That Remains was screened in the official competition selection of the Cannes Film Festival.

Filmography

1990 Introduction to the End of an Argument (short doc)
1996 Chronicle of a Disappearance
2002 Yadon ilaheyya | Divine Intervention
2009 The Time That Remains
2019 It Must Be Heaven