"A sweeping yet intimate historical epic, Palestine '36 demands careful attention to its intricately woven storytelling, rewarding viewers with a humanist, clear-eyed act of remembrance." —Rotten Tomatoes
Palestine, 1936. The uprising that took on an Empire. As villages across Mandatory Palestine rise against British colonial rule, Yusuf drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest. But history is relentless. With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region. Director Annemarie Jacir moves her story forward at pace, balancing plot lines, tones and character motivations against a strong grasp of the complex history — with precise cinematography and a haunting score to deliver a period film that foregrounds character development against shaping forces of economics, politics, and identity.