Paradise Now

“PARADISE NOW” is the story of two young Palestinian men as they embark upon what may be the last 48 hours of their lives.  On a typical day in the West Bank city of Nablus, where daily life grinds on amidst crushing poverty and the occasional rocket blast, we meet two childhood best friends, Saïd (Kais Nashef) and Khaled (Ali Suliman), who pass time drinking tea, smoking a hookah, and working dead-end menial jobs as auto mechanics.

Saïd’s day takes a turn for the better when a beautiful young woman named Suha (Lubna Azabal) brings her car in for repairs. From their spirited interaction, it is apparent that there is a budding romance growing between them.

Saïd is approached by middle-aged Jamal (Amer Hlehel), a point man for an unnamed Palestinian organization, who informs Saïd that he and Khaled have been chosen to carry out a strike in Tel Aviv. They have been chosen for this mission as a team, because each had expressed a wish that if either is to die a martyr, the other would want to die alongside his best friend.

Saïd and Khaled have been preparing for this moment for most of their lives.  They spend a last night at home -- although they must keep their impending mission secret even from their families. During the night Saïd sneaks off to see Suha one last time.  Suha’s moderate views, having been educated in Europe, and Saïd’s burgeoning conflicted conscience cause him to stop short of explaining why he has come to say good-bye.

The following day, Saïd and Khaled are lead to a hole in the fence that surrounds Nablus, where they are to meet a driver who will take them to Tel Aviv. But here the plan goes wrong, and Saïd and Khaled are separated.

“PARADISE NOW” follows two Palestinian childhood friends who have been recruited for a strike on Tel Aviv and focuses on their last days together. When they are intercepted at the Israeli border and separated from their handlers, a young woman who discovers their plan causes them to reconsider their actions. 

Winner of multiple prizes at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival, and invited to the 2005 Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, the film was written by Hany Abu-Assad (“Ford Transit,” “Rana’s Wedding”) & Bero Beyer and directed by Abu-Assad, and stars Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal.

“PARADISE NOW” is a production of Augustus Film with Lama Films, Razor Film, Lumen Films, Arte France Cinema, Hazazah Film and produced with the support of Nederlands Fonds Voor De Film, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Eurimages, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, I2I Preparatory Action of the European Community and World Cinema Fund.

Director
Hany Abu-Assad - <Al Qods Fee Yom Akhar>

Cast
Lubna Azabal
Hiam Abbass
Ashraf Barhoum
Lubna Azabel
Amer Hiehel

Awards
2006 Golden Globes, USA
“Best Foreign Language Film”

2006 Vancouver Film Critics Circle
“Best Foreign Film “

2005 Emden International Film Festival
“3rd place”

2005 Berlin International Film Festival
“Amnesty International Film Prize”
“Blue Angel”
“Reader Jury of the "Berliner Morgenpost"

2005 Dallas-Forth Worth Film Critics Association Awards
” Best Foreign-Language Film”

2005 European Film Awards
”Best Screenwriter”

2005 Nederlands Film Festival
“Golden Calf - Best Film (Beste Lange Speelfilm)”
“Golden Calf - Best Editing (Beste Montage) “

2005 National Board of Review , USA
”Best Foreign Language Film”

Nominated
2006 Academy Awards, USA
“Oscar - Best Foreign Language Film of the Year”

2006 Independent Spirit Awards
“Best Foreign Film”

2005 Nederlands Film Festival
“Dutch Film Critics Award”
Golden Cal - “Best Director (Beste Regie)”
Golden Cal - ”Best Screenplay of a Feature Film (Beste Scenario)”

2005 Berlin International Film Festival
“Golden Berlin Bear”

Distributor: Golden Scene Company Limited

Release date: 1st Jun 2006

Category: IIA

Duration: 91mins

Cinemas: Broadway Cinematheque

Website: http://wip.warnerbros.com/paradisenow/