Yahoo Lifestyle Timely Palestinian Drama ‘The Teacher’ Lands U.S. Distribution Deal Amid Fragile Ceasefire in Gaza (EXCLUSIVE)
Watermelon Pictures has acquired North American distribution rights to Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi’s timely drama “The Teacher,” which is shot and set in the West Bank.
The film takes its cue from a real prisoners’ swap that took place in 2011, when Israel freed more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one soldier who had been kidnapped by Palestinian militants.
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In “The Teacher,” a Palestinian school teacher played by Saleh Bakri (“Costa Brava, Lebanon”) struggles to reconcile his commitment to political resistance with his emotional support for one of his students. There is also a subplot involving his romantic relationship with a British volunteer worker, played by Imogen Poots (“The Father”).
The film, which is produced by Sawsan Asfari (Cocoon Films), Ossama Bawardi (Philistine Films) and Nabulsi (Native Liberty Productions), has been well-received on the festival circuit after premiering at Toronto Film Festival in 2023. “The Teacher” scored awards at last year’s Galway Film Fleadh, San Francisco International Film Festival and Washington D.C. International Film Festival, among other events.
Nabulsi, who was Oscar-nominated and won a BAFTA for her short “The Present,” has underlined that she opted to shoot in Palestine’s West Bank to ensure authenticity for “The Teacher.”
The North American rights deal for the eye-opening film was negotiated by Nabulsi herself with Watermelon’s co-founder Hamza Ali. Watermelon Pictures, which is based in Chicago, is planning to release the “The Teacher” theatrically in spring 2025.
“Watermelon Pictures is proud to bring this thought-provoking and visually stunning drama to wider audiences,” said Hamza Ali in a statement, noting that the film will prompt audiences to reflect “on the impossible choices people must make in the face of injustice and violence.”
Commented Nabulsi: “In an industry where fewer and fewer distributors seem to have the vision or are willing to take risks on independent cinema — especially those that confront urgent, political realities — it’s incredibly meaningful to have Watermelon Pictures take on the film and champion this story. Set and shot in Palestine, this film arrives at a pivotal moment, as the world holds its breath with a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, but a ramp up of violence in the West Bank. I’m deeply grateful that Watermelon Pictures recognizes the importance of this film and is bringing it to audiences across North America at such a crucial juncture.”
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