200 Meters

Mustafa, Palestinian father-of-three, lives a seemingly peaceful family life, except for the fact that his family is divided in two: Mustafa lives with his mother on the West Bank in Palestine, his wife Salwa and the children in Israel. 200 meters and a high wall separate the family’s two homes, and to maintain some contact, every evening Mustafa and his kids flash their lights to each other.

Mustafa regularly crosses the border on a work permit to do construction work on the Israeli side and pay short visits to his family. But one day, his son Majd is involved in an accident, and with his ID card expired, Mustafa has to resort to human smugglers to get to the hospital.

200 meters is yet another film depicting Palestinian daily life during occupation, which for many entails long days in endless queues at the checkpoints. Director Ameen Nayfeh's debut film features both traditional relationship drama and nerve-racking suspense. It is also a story of identity and pride, as Mustafa chooses to follow his own principles and stay on Palestinian territory instead of following his family to gain a residence permit in Israel. Ali Suliman (known from Paradise Now!) adds warmth and nuance to the narrative in his portrayal of Mustafa – a “regular Joe” who struggles to do everything right.

Ida Gulbrandsen

Director

Ameen Nayfeh (b. 1988) was born in Palestine and spent his formative years moving between Jordan and Palestine. Despite an early interest in filmmaking, in 2010 he earned his B.Sc. in Nursing from Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem. Two years later, he earned an MFA in film production from the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. 200 Meters is Nayfeh’s first feature film and has won several awards at festivals around the globe.

This film is part of