film

In the Name of the Father (UK 1992, Dir. Jim Sheridan, 127 min., English) In the Name of the Father tells the true saga of Gerry Conlon, a petty thief in strife-torn '70s Belfast. Gerry's main interests are getting drunk and partying, much to the dismay of his quite, frail father, Guiseppe. When Gerry angers the IRA, his father sends him to England, where his antics land him in the wrong place at the wrong time. Innocent, but forced to confess to a savage terrorist bombing, he is sentenced to life imprisonment as one of the "Guilford Four". Working with a fiercely dedicated lawyer, Gerry is determined to prove his innocence and expose the truth behind one of the most shameful legal events in recent history. El Bireh, Wednesday 03 and Sunday 28 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

City of Angels (USA 1998, Dir. Brad Silberling, 114 min., English) Nicholas Cage is Seth, an Angel who must decide if he will forsake his immortality and become human, on the chance that the woman of his dreams, Maggie (played by Meg Ryan), might love him. A pragmatic heart surgeon, Maggie doesn't believe in angels… until she meets Seth. El Bireh, Thursday 04 and Wednesday 17 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Haifawi (Palestine 1999, Dir. Darwish Abu Al- Rish, 52 min., Documentary, Arabic with English subtitles) The film presents eye-witness accounts of An Nakba (the catastrophe that befell the Palestinians in 1948) by people from Haifa. Different people meet the same destiny but each one of them tells his own story of regaining his place in Haifa. El Bireh, Thursday 11 and Saturday 27 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Fools Rush In (USA 1995, Dir. Andy Tennant, 105 min., English) Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry) is a straight-laced corporate type from Manhattan. Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek) is a fiery Mexican American. When the two meet in Las Vegas, the sparks fly- but neither of them gave a thought to where a single night of passion could lead. A funny and romantic love story in reverse, Fools Rush In tells the story of fated lovers trying their luck at the world's oldest game… love. El Bireh Tuesday 09 and Thursday 18 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Fargo (USA 1995, Dir. Joel Coen, 94 min., English) Jerry Lundegaad arranges for his wife to be kidnapped in the hope that splitting the ransom with the kidnappers will enable him to finance a new business venture. When one of the kidnappers goes off the rails it falls to Marge Gunderson, Chief of the Brainered Police Department, to set things right. El Bireh Tuesday 16 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

All the President's Men (USA 1976, Dir. Alan Pakula, 132 min., English) Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book and hailed as the most devastating detective story of this century, this film was released only 3 years after the sensation of Water Gate. It tells the story of two unknown reporters who took on the White House, the FBI, the CIA, and the IRS. To this day the identity of their mysterious informer nicknamed 'Deep Throat" remains unknown. The film is a dramatic, tense, and accurate account of the newspaper professionals who follow the trail through doubts, denials, and discouragement. El Bireh Saturday 13 and Sunday 21 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

The Red Squirrel (Spain 1993, Dir. Julio Medem, 114 min., Spanish with English subtitles) Jota wants to commit suicide, but meeting accidentally with an unknown woman, who has just had an accident and lost her memory just near the wall from where he intended to throw himself into the sea, makes him change his plans. El Bireh, Tuesday 30 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

It's A Jungle Out There (Germany 1995, Dir. Hans Christian Schmid, 90 min., German with English subtitles) Wolfgang intends to become mayor of a small town in Bavaria. He presents himself in his PR campaign as the head of a model family. When his daughter, Anna, runs away from home, Wolfgang and his wife set out searching for her, and in the process manage to get back in touch with their teenage experiences. With Anna's return the next morning, the family feels the experience has made them a bit wiser. El Bireh, Monday 08 and Wednesday 24 November 19:30, Popular Art Center (In cooperation with Goethe Institute). Beyond Silence (Germany 1996, Dir. Caroline Link, 109 min., German with English subtitles) Lara's parents are both deaf. Since she is the only member of her family who can hear and speak, she has served as a kind of foreign minister for her family from an early age, translating and negotiating for them even in the most absurd situations. Her entry into the world of music through the Clarinet creates tension between the family members. Declared as one of the great German films of the late nineties. El Bireh Sunday 14 and Monday 29 November 19:30, Popular Art Center (In cooperation with Goethe Institute).

Kundun (USA 1996, Dir. Martin Scorsese, 135 min., English) Praised as one of the best films of the year, it is the incredible true story of one of the world's most fascinating leaders - Tibet's Dalai Lama- and his daring struggle to rule a nation at one of the most challenging times in its history. With Oscar nominated score by renowned composer Philip Glass, this extraordinary film has been greeted with both controversy and worldwide acclaim. El Bireh Saturday 06 and Thursday 25 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Face/Off (USA 1998, Dir. John Woo, 133 min., English) Nicholas Cage and John Travolta battle head to head in Face/Off, the ultimate cat and mouse thriller. To avenge the senseless murder of his son, FBI agent Sean Archer (Travolta) undergoes a radical new surgery allowing him to switch faces with the comatose terrorist Caster Troy (Cage) and assumes his identity. But when Caster awakens and assumes Sean's identity, the real Sean is thrust into an unimaginable nightmare fighting not only for his life, but also those of his wife and daughter. El Bireh Wednesday 10 and Saturday 20 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Date Wine (Egypt, Dir. Radwan al Kashef, 110 min., Arabic with English subtitles) All the able men of a small Egyptian village migrate in search of wealth, except for Ahmad, on the threshold of adolescence, who insists on staying behind in the hope of fulfilling his dream of climbing "Al Alia", the tallest palm tree in the village. In the absence of the village men, however, the women quickly see Ahmad as the man of the village - a role he rejects and does his best to avoid. When the migrant men return, the village is thrown into turmoil. El Bireh, Sunday 07 and Monday 22 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Broken Wings (Lebanon, Dir. Yousef Maalouf, 90 min., Arabic with English subtitles) In "Broken Wings" the Lebanese artist/poet Khalil Gibran reveals the same artistry and wisdom that have enshrined his name in the hearts of millions. With great sensitivity and lyricism, Gibran describes his youthful passion for his first love, Selma Karamy. But theirs was a love doomed from the beginning: social conventions and family tensions eventually force Selma to marry another man. El Bireh, Tuesday 23 November 19:30, Popular Art Center.

Gaza Ghetto (John Mendel, 1984, 82 min., Arabic and English) The film explores the very issues that caused the Intifada and continue at the heart of the conflict, in this look at the every day life of a working class Gazan family before the Intifada. Ramallah, Saturday 11 November 19:00, Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center.

Naim and Wadia (Palestine 1999, Dir. Najwa Najjar, documentary) This is the first documentary film by Palestinian filmmaker Najwa Najjar. It is a documentary on Jaffa before 1948, and explores the social life in the city through a Palestinian couple and the effect the Nekba and exile had on them. Ramallah, Saturday 06 November 19:00, Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center.