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FADIA'S TREE

a film by Sarah Beddington

SYNOPSIS

While millions of birds migrate freely in the skies, a Palestinian refugee in Lebanon, yearns for the ancestral homeland she is denied. She challenges Sarah, the Director, to find an ancient mulberry tree that stands as witness to her family’s existence — with only inherited memories, a blind man and a two-headed dragon as her guides. Along the way, Sarah meets with ornithologists whose observations on the homing instincts of the birds highlight the unresolved problems of the region. 

 

Spanning fifteen years, this story of a friendship that stays connected across a divided land and a fragmented people adopts a birds’ eye perspective to reflect on freedom of movement, exile and the hope of return.

Synopsis
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Trailer
Reviews

REVIEWS

A study of displacement with airborne grace notes.

LEILA LATIF, SIGHT AND SOUND

 

 

A film that sets anger and to some extent politics to one side in favour of a sombre and supportive emotional portrait.

PETER BRADSHAW, THE GUARDIAN

 

Following directions from a blind man, and weaving in studies of migratory birds, Beddington's journey carries a potent symbolic weight.

WENDY IDE, THE OBSERVER

 

Combines personal testimony, historical explanation and natural history to create something quite remarkable.

CHRISTIAN LISSEMAN, BIG ISSUE NORTH

 

Fadia’s Tree is a very beautiful film: You emerge into the light with your understanding intensified, feeling perhaps a little altered. It both tells a personal story and presents a political narrative by delicate metaphor, never harangues, is elegantly paced, and very timely.

JAMES WOODALL, JOURNALIST AND WRITER

 

I felt compelled to create a brand new judging criteria for this film because it showed me something so extraordinary about a subject matter I thought I knew quite well.

MAYTHEM RIDHA,

AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER AND FESTIVAL JUROR

A poetic meditation on exile and return.

SELMA DABBAGH, ELECTRONIC INTAFADA

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Screenings

10th March, 2024 - Eden Court - INVERNESS, UK

9th March, 2024 - Timespan, HELMSDALE, UK

 

8th March, 2024 - Reel to Reel, ULLAPOOL, UK

7th March, 2024 - Evanton Community Centre, UK

 

6th March, 2024 - Cromarty Community Centre, UK

 

18th May, 2023 - Filmoteca de MURCIA, Spain

 

14th May, 2023 - The Garden Cinema, LONDON, UK

 

30th March, 2023 - Donegal Intercultural Platform, LETTERKENNY, Ireland

10th March, 202 - Amaia KZ, IRUN, Spain

9th March, 2023 - Zelai Arizti, ZUMARRAGA, Spain

9th March, 2023 - The Old Ground Hotel, ENNIS, Ireland

8th March, 2023 - Ormston House, Cultural Resource Centre, LIMERICK, Ireland

 

7th March, 2023 - Aonach Mhach Cultural Centre, ARMAGH, Northen Ireland

 

5th March, 2023 - St Patrick's Gateway Centre, WATERFORD, Ireland

 

 5th March, 2023 - The Pearse Centre, DUBLIN, Ireland

 

4th March, 2023 - Omagh Community House, OMAGH, Northern Ireland

 

28th Feb, 2023 - Usurbe Antzokia, BEASAIN, Spain

Screenings

2023 FLIGHT: MOSTRA DEL CINEMA DI GENOVA: Best Feature Film

 

2022 BRITISH INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS: Nomination - Discovery Award

2022 AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AWARD: Best Documentary

2022 KARAMA HRFF FEATHER AWARD: Best Documentary

2022 BARNES FILM FESTIVAL: Best Documentary

2023 GIRLS ON FILM AWARDS: Nomination - Best Documentary

24th April, 2024 - CHICAGO PALESTINE FILM FESTIVAL, USA

 

18th Oct, 2023 - FLIGHT, GENOVA, Italy

 

31st May, 2023 - T.I.F.A. , Brazil

23rd March, 2023 - MIGRATION & ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL, Canada

 

25th Feb, 2023 - KEWSICK FILM FESTIVAL, UK

 

8th Jan, 2023 – BLOWUP ARTHOUSE FILM FEST, Chicago, USA

 

8th Dec, 2022 – BRISTOL PALESTINE FILM FESTIVAL, UK

 

18th Nov, 2022 – LEEDS PALESTINIAN FILM FESTIVAL, UK

 

10th Nov, 2022 – ARAB FILM FESTIVAL, San Francisco, USA

 

6th Nov, 2022 – FILMBATH FESTIVAL, UK

 

6th Nov, 2022 – AUSTRALIAN PALESTINIAN FILM FESTIVAL, Sydney, Australia

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14th Oct, 2022 – BOSTON PALESTINE FILM FESTIVAL, USA

 

13th Oct, 2022 – RED CARPET HRFF, Gaza, Palestine

 

29th Sept, 2022 – TWIN CITIES ARAB FILM FESTIVAL, Minnesota, USA 

 

21st Sept, 2022 – SEOUL HRFF, Korea

 

21st June, 2022 – BARNES FILM FESTIVAL, UK

Best Feature Documentary Award

 

7th April, 2022 – DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIAN HRFF, Spain

       Amnesty International Award for Best Feature Film

 

28th April, 2022 – ARAB NETWORK FOR HRFF, Djerba, Tunisia

 

9th March, 2022 – HUMAN SCREEN FESTIVAL, Tunis, Tunisia

 

7th Dec, 2021 – KARAMA HRFF, Amman, Jordan

       Feather Award for Best Documentary

 

27th Nov, 2021 – LONDON PALESTINE FILM FESTIVAL, UK

 

5th Nov, 2021 – PALESTINE CINEMA DAYS, Ramallah, Palestine

       Sunbird Nomination for Best Documentary

Festivals
Team

THE TEAM

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