Filmmaker Cherien Dabis reflects on her long relationship with the Sundance Institute and the deeply personal inspiration behind her latest work.
Cherien Dabis’s connection with Sundance dates back to 2006, when her short film, Make a Wish, shot entirely in Palestine, premiered at the festival. “It was incredibly exciting and confidence-boosting,” Dabis recalls. “The endorsement of one of the best festivals in the world helped me raise money for my first feature, Amreeka, which also world-premiered at Sundance in 2009.”
Dabis attributes her success as a storyteller to a relentless drive and, more importantly, a commitment to representing underrepresented communities, especially her own. “My writing professor at Columbia would say my ‘dogged determination,'” she says. “But I feel the real reason is my commitment to and passion for representing the under-and-misrepresented… It’s what keeps me doggedly steadfast despite challenges.”
Looking ahead, Dabis hopes her films will foster recognition and empathy. “I want people to recognize themselves in my characters,” she explains. “I want them to witness the decades of struggle that Palestinians have patiently endured. I want the film to inspire love and compassion and to say that holding onto our humanity is the only way forward.”
The inspiration for this film stems directly from the strength and resilience of the Palestinian people. ”It’s the strength, resilience, and love of my people in the face of decades of unbearable loss, hardship and suffering,” Dabis states.
Dabis believes the timing of her film is crucial, offering vital past context to current events. “the film gives much needed historical context to political events we’re currently witnessing,” she says. “It tells the story of how we ended up where we are today. When I wrote it back in 2020, I had no way of knowing how incredibly relevant it would become.”
Working with the Bakri family, a multi-generational family of Palestinian actors, was a particular highlight. Dabis describes a collaborative process on set. “We adopted a flexible way of working together where we often changed the dialogue if we felt it wasn’t landing right or if one of us had a better idea. It was such a fun, creative process of really working moment to moment to keep everything grounded and real.”
