Introduction

Hikayatul Jawahiri Thalath (Eng: Tale of Three Lost Jewels) is a 1995 film shot in the final, turbulent days of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, Michel Khleifi’s film tells the tale of a magical love story between two adolescents in a time of war and danger.

Outline

Yusef, a 12-year-old refugee growing up in the Intifada, lives with his mother and 15-year-old sister. His brother is a fugitive; his father has been in prison for the last nine years. But Yusef has a world of his own. He loves birds and drifts into the wilderness at every opportunity. One day he runs into Aida, a beautiful, wild girl his own age. He becomes completely infatuated with her, and tells her he wants to marry her when they grow up. But she replies that only the suitor who finds the three jewels, lost in Latin America, from her grandmother’s necklace can win her hand. And so begin his attempts to reach Latin America…

Cast

• Hana’ Nc’mch … Aida
• Bushra Karaman … Yusef’s mother (as Bushra Qaraman)
• Raida Adon … Suad
• Makram Khoury … Abu Iman
• Mohammed Sheikh … Samir
• Hana’ Ne’meh … Aida
• Ghassan Abu Libda … Salah
• Amin Halabi … Salah’s father
• Mohammad Bakri … Aida’s father (as Mohammed Bakri)
• Um Fayez … Aida’s grandmother
• Ahmad Abu Sal’oum … Yusef’s father
• Khalifa Natour … Officer #1
• Dirar Suleiman … Officer #2

Trivia

• This lyrical and moving work was shot in the early months of 1994, while Gaza remained under Israeli military occupation, and was the first feature film ever to be shot entirely in the Gaza Strip.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Michel Khleifi
• Producer(s):
  • Omar Al-Qattan … co-producer
  • Pierre Chevalier … producer
  • Jérôme Clément … producer
  • Ritchie Cogan … producer
  • Peter Firstbrook … producer
  • Michel Khleifi … producer
  • Robert Lamb … executive producer
  • Jacqueline Louis … producer
  • Jenny Richards … associate producer
• Writer(s):
  • Michel Khleifi
• Music:
  • Abed Azrie
  • Jean-Marie Sénia
• Cinematography:
  • Rémon Fromont
• Editor(s):
  • Marie Castro … (as Marie Castro-Vasquez)
  • Pauline Dairou
  • Ludo Troch
  • Roger Van Eyck
• Production:
  • Sindibad Films
  • BBC/TVE/One World Group of Broadcasters (for)
• Distributor(s):
  • Cinéma Public Films (France, 1995)(theatrical)
  • Arab Film Distribution (United States, 1998)
• Release Date: May 1995 (Cannes Director’s Fortnight, France).
• Running Time: 50 minutes.
• Rating: Unknown.
• Country: Palestine.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dJB3VoHKZw