Cherien Dabis on 'All That’s Left of You': Generational Trauma, Film Production, and Palestinian Narratives

Exploring Generational Trauma and Healing

• 💡 The film delves into generational trauma and the possibility of healing ongoing trauma, especially relevant given current global events.
• 🧠 The concept of present traumatic stress syndrome is highlighted, contrasting with post-traumatic stress due to ongoing crises.
• ⏳ The director began conceptualizing the film in 2014 and writing in 2020, with a long gestation period before production.

A Challenging Production Journey

• ✈️ The film's production faced significant hurdles, including being forced to evacuate Palestine just two weeks before scheduled shooting.
• 🌍 The crew had to pivot to filming in Jordan, Greece, and Cyprus, adding immense emotional and physical strain.
• 🎭 The filmmaking process became a container for the crew's collective grief and emotions, potentially adding emotional depth and resonance to the final film.
• 🎬 Surreal moments occurred when scenes depicting historical events mirrored real-time unfolding events in Gaza.

Navigating Hollywood and Distribution

• 🌟 Despite a warm reception at Sundance and high Rotten Tomatoes scores, the film faced challenges in securing Hollywood distribution.
• 🚫 The director notes fear and racism within Hollywood as reasons distributors shy away from Palestinian stories, even when they perform well.
• ✊ Empowered by this, the director is embracing a new model of artist-led distribution with partners like Watermelon Pictures.
• 📈 This approach aims to build community and audience for underrepresented narratives, proving distributors wrong about the market for such films.

Personal Inspiration and Cultural Significance

• 👨‍👧 The film was deeply inspired by the director's relationship with her father and observing how intergenerational identities formed in opposition.
• 💔 The director sought to explore a different way of responding to injustice than her father's growing disillusionment and anger, channeling her own into filmmaking.
• 🇵🇸 Poetry and arts are highlighted as crucial elements of Palestinian culture, with the film opening in 1948 to showcase an often-unseen side of urban Palestinian life.
• 🗣️ The film opens and closes with a poem by Hafiz Ibrahim, chosen for its evocation of the Arabic language, culture, and potentially the Palestinian people.

The Iconic Protest Scene and Directorial Choice

• ✊ A pivotal scene depicting a protest at a checkpoint, with young men facing soldiers, served as the initial solidified concept for the script.
• 🖼️ This scene draws from iconic imagery of Palestinian resistance, aiming to tell the personal stories behind the iconic images.
• 🎬 The director chose to star as the mother, the glue holding the story together, after careful consideration and ensuring she could manage both acting and directing.

Defining Home and Standing in Truth

• 🏡 The concept of 'home' is explored as a complex feeling of belonging, often tied to family, but complicated by diaspora and occupation.
• 💖 For the director, home is primarily her family and a feeling found in fleeting moments across different locations, including Palestine.
• 🗣️ The director emphasizes the importance of standing in one's truth and speaking openly about the Palestinian experience, contributing to a global awakening.