Just Married

Directed by Ayelet Bechar

Autumn 2003 – a wedding hall in the north of Israel. Two hundred guests, dancing, music and a bride in a white dress. Kifah Massarwi, an Israeli citizen, has organized a wedding for herself, minus the groom. This is the opening shot in a bitter battle that she is waging against the Israeli authorities, who forbid her partner from entering the country. The Citizenship Law, which came into effect in the summer of 2003, means that Palestinian Authority residents cannot live in Israel, even if they are married to Israeli citizens. For Kifah, the new law is a slap in the face. She is an educated career woman who is politically active and believes in co-existence and the peace process. She goes to live in Berlin with her Gaza-born spouse, Yazed. The film tells the story of two Palestinian couples who decide to marry knowing that it will be impossible for them to live together in Israel. With intimacy and affection we follow these couples in their most private moments and reveal the personal drama out of which emerges the political crisis.

Duration:
71 minutes

Languages:
Arabic and Hebrew

Country of origin:
Israel

Year of production:
2005