It Must Be Heaven

Veteran writer/director Elia Suleiman offers a personal insight into Palestinian life in this warm and well-crafted comedy. As in his earlier films, Suleiman plays a version of himself, who drifts around in bemused fashion, mutely observing the strangeness of the world. His character travels from Nazareth to New York via Paris in an attempt to raise funds for his latest work: a comic look at the state of Palestine. But he is foiled by western producers who deem the film-maker's offbeat approach not serious enough for the subject matter. As with the other ironies underpinning this often laugh-out-loud film, the satirical points are razor-sharp. Behind its whimsical facade, this is a trenchant and searing work, which is also quite moving as it becomes clear that all Suleiman's character ever sees is the repetitive imagery of war, destitution and suffering. A memorably surreal shot of tanks rolling down a deserted Parisian street encapsulates the film's rare blend of delightful absurdism and heartbreak.