Paradise Now

Review by Abbi North

The short: A dramatic vignette of a Palestinian suicide bomb mission gone wrong and Oscar nominated for Best For Language Film in 2017. 

The long: Filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad (Dutch-Palestinian-Israeli) navigates the logic of violence and martyrism in the context of unending oppression in this movie. The script follows the radicalization of two young Palestinian friends, Said and Khaled, as they reflect upon dynamics of patriotism, honor, and friendship. It poignantly and provocatively provides its audience with a window into the heart-wrenching interface of fatalism and anti-violence, as told from a unique perspective unexplored by mainstream media. 

To watch or not to watch: Watch – but with caution. The film had an intensely controversial reception, applauded in many cinematographic circles while condemned for insensitivity towards the trauma of suicide bombings. It is an important conversation starter at the least, and ultimately Abu-Assad leaves the moral judgment up to the viewer.