Omar of the title is a young baker (Adam Bakri) who undergoes the struggles and humiliations that are part of everyday life for Palestinians under Israeli occupation. He is obliged to climb the Israeli-built “Isolation Wall” that often divides Palestinian communities to see the girl he loves, Nadia (Leem Lubany), who works in a textile factory. At an Israeli checkpoint he is made to stand on a small rock for hours, and when he finally gets angry, the soldiers beat him and make him stand on the same rock on one foot.
Nadia’s protective brother Tarek and friend Amjad are Omar's comrades. They amuse themselves, sometimes with impressions, including one of Marlon Brando. Their decision to shoot an Israeli soldier sets off a complicated sequence of events. Omar pays the biggest price, since he’s captured by the Israelis, tortured, and detained.
The young man enters a certain relationship with the Israeli authorities, who threaten to keep him locked up for decades. He doesn’t become a traitor, but that suspicion poisons his relations with Nadia and his friends. One of whom, Amjad, takes advantage of the situation to pursue his own relationship with Nadia.
The film points to the nearly impossible personal and social conditions for the Palestinians under Israeli rule.
Omar brings to life the tragic situation in intimate, concrete detail. I loved the overall experience of the movie and the dilemmas of the characters involved. The movie doesn't offer a solution to any problem, however it is captivating, engaging, gripping and humorous at times. Highly recommended.
Omar was nominated for best foreign Language film at the 2014 Academy Awards, and was winner of the Jury Prize ‘Un Certain Regard’ at the Cannes Film Festival.
Suad
Format
Streamed Films
Subject
Reactions