Between Heaven and Earth

Director: Najwa Najjar
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In a tour across the Arab world, the film was released in Egypt where it received successful screenings at Zawya cinema that lasted for over six weeks.
It screened at Cinema Akil in UAE for over three weeks.
Landed a full-house world premiere at Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), Egypt, where it received the Best Screenplay Award at CIFF
It has been selected to compete for the Golden Globe Awards and the European Film Awards and screened at the European Film Market within the Berlin International Film Festival.
It was also released on Shahid VIP.
Directed by the Award-winning Najwa Najjar (Oyoun Harameya, the official submission of Jordan to the Oscars and the Golden Globes).
Between Heaven and Earth Poster
2019/ Palestine - Luxemburg - Iceland92 min/ Drama
Original Title
Bein El Sama w El Ard
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SYNOPSIS
Based on a true story, the film follows a thirty-something couple, Salma and Tamer, who have been married for the past five years, and living in the Palestinian Territory. The first time Tamer is ever given a three-day permit to cross the Israeli checkpoint, is to file for divorce in the courts in Nazareth. At the courthouse, they are confronted with a staggering discovery, a secret which sends Salma and Tamer spinning on a road trip exploring the loss and betrayal of the past, and of themselves.
CAST
Mouna Hawa
Firas Nassar
Lamis Ammar
Sari Bisharat

CREW
Screenwriter: Najwa Najjar
DOP: Tómas Örn Tómasson
Editor: Amine Jaber
Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir
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Production Company(ies)
Ustura Films
Paul Thiltges Distributions
Oktober Films
Producer(s)
Adrien Chef
Fahad Falur Jabali
Eggert Ketilsson
Hani E. Kort
Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir
Paul Thiltges
film festivals
European Film Market within the Berlin International Film Festival, Germany
Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), Egypt
Reel Palestine Festival, UAE
London Palestine Film Festival, England
Toronto Palestine Film Festival, Canada
Malmo Arab Film Festival, Sweden
Dhaka International Film Festival, Bangladesh
Calgary International Film Festival , Canada
China Film Golden Rooster Awards, China
Reykjavík International Film Festival, Iceland
Chicago Palestine Film Festival, USA
Palestine Arts Film Festival, Zurich
Cyprus Film Days International Festival, Cyprus
Middle East Now Film Festival Florence, Italy
Mostra de Valencia Film Festival, Spain
Boston Palestine Film Festival, USA
Olhares do Mediterraneo Women FF Lisbon, Portugal
Arab Film Festival Collab- AFMI, USA
Festival du Cinéma Méditerranéen de Tétouan, Morocco
San Diego Arab Film Festival, USA
film awards
Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Screenplay at the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), Egypt
Best Feature Audience Award at Boston Palestine Film Festival, USA
Best Male Performance at Mostra de Valencia Film Festival, Spain
Audience Award at Middle East Now Film Festival Florence, Italy
Honorable Mention at Olhares do Mediterraneo Women FF Lisbon, Portugal
Special Jury award at Cairo Film Connection within Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt
Best Feature Film and Audience Award at Arab Film Festival Collab- AFMI, USA
Quotes
"A couple who are going through a divorce but who realise that they still have things in common and are hanging onto some mutual affection is a clear and effective metaphor for the conflict in the Middle East, at least in terms of the way it is presented in the film: away from the politics, squabbles and attacks." Ola Salwa - Cineuropa

"The young actors Mouna Hawa (as Salma) and Firas Nassar (as Tamer) are confident and sure-footed in depicting their ever-evolving relationship, which keeps the audience on their side."
Deborah Young - The Hollywood Reporter

“The film proved a crowd-pleaser at a packed world premiere …. It prompted a 10-minute standing ovation and praise from some of the toughest cinema critics in the Arab world.”
Melanie Goodfellow - Screen Daily

“Such an impressive film” Soha Hesham - Al Ahram Weekly