“Is he Jewish or Arab?” is a question that echoes throughout The Reports on Sarah and Saleem. Inspired by true stories, this film explores the intricacies of an affair between a Palestinian man and an Israeli woman that is not only a betrayal of their marriage but also a betrayal of their nations.
Muayad Alayan, director, Rami Alayan, brother and screenwriter, take it upon themselves to contrast occupied-Palestine and Israel, exposing layers of conflict and socio-political pressures.
As winner of best film at the Durban International Film Festival in 2018, this psychosocial drama reveals just how powerless the Israeli government has rendered both Arabs and Jews alike, through an intimate and emotional lens.
What can be considered as a simple affair is turned into a political stage from which to imprison the delivery-man, Saleem, with the forced help of café-owner, Sarah.
Sarah held by Saleem after their affair had almost been discovered. PHOTO: The Reports on Sarah and Saleem.
Aiming to tell a universal story influenced by location, the Alayan brothers capture the essence of this world of occupation, by placing the viewer at the border between occupied-Palestine and Israel.
Alongside Sarah and Saleem, the viewer is allowed access into two worlds that could not be more different. City landscapes, homes, gender roles and even the sound of the ath’aan (call to prayer) contrasts against the classical music listened to by Sarah.
The film presents a human perspective on a years-old conflict, making the politics of the region both palpable and understandable. The audience comes to understand the layers of violence forced onto both sides; seeing the Israeli troops invading Palestinian offices, Saleem beaten for his actions, and Sarah hurt by her husband, David, after he has discovered her affair.
Screenwriter, Rami Alayan, alongside brother and director, Muayad Alayan. PHOTO: International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).
In focusing on these individual lives, the Alayan brothers emphasise the extent to which this conflict has broken and derailed everything it touches. The affair between Sarah and Saleem takes on symbolic representations of the socio-political context of their lives.
The relationship between Sarah and Saleem itself exposes the power dynamics between occupied-Palestine and Israel, where Sarah is the financially able woman, choosing when to end the relationship and ultimately, deciding the fate of Saleem.
And so, love becomes political. “I worked in bars and restaurants in West Jerusalem, and I know that affairs such as those between Sarah and Saleem happen and how easily they are politicised,” says Muayad Alayan. These relationships are dangerous and despite the repercussions, particularly for Arabs, these types of affairs are not uncommon.