A World Not Ours

This is an ironic and bittersweet documentary about life in the Palestinian refugee camp Ein el-Helwe. Mahdi Fleifel, a Danish director of Palestinian origin, returns to the camp where he spent his childhood summers. Fleifel constantly challenges our perceptions. He introduces us to his stubborn grandfather, his friend and life-long PLO member Abu Iyad, and his crazy uncle Hassan. The film strikes a melancholic yet humorous mood rather than one of despair and misery. However, the backdrop is coloured by the Palestinian resistance, and an increasing exasperation at the situation. This film is a unique portrait from the inside.

Mahdi Fleifel (b. 1979) grew up in Lebanon and Denmark. In 2009, he graduated from the National Film and Television School in London, where he now lives and works. His short film Arafat & I (2008) screened at festivals around the world and won numerous awards. A World Not Ours is his first feature length documentary.