200 Meters

The Palestinian father of three, Mustafa, lives a seemingly peaceful life, but his family is divided: he lives in the West Bank in Palestine, while his wife Salwa and their children live in Israel. The film was screened at Arab Film Days in 2021.

200 meters and a towering wall separate their two homes, and to maintain some form of connection, the father and his children flash their lights at each other every evening. Mustafa regularly crosses the border to work as a construction worker on the Israeli side, allowing him brief visits with his family. But one day, his life is turned upside down. His son, Majd, is injured in an accident, and with an expired ID card, Mustafa is forced to turn to human smugglers to reach the hospital.

200 Meters fits seamlessly into the tradition of films depicting daily Palestinian life under occupation, where many endure long days of endless queues at checkpoints. Director Ameen Nayfeh’s feature debut is both a traditional relationship drama and a gripping thriller. It is also a story of identity and pride—of Mustafa, who chooses to stand by his principles and remain in Palestinian territory rather than follow his family and apply for Israeli residency. Ali Suliman (known from Paradise Now!) brings warmth and nuance to the role of Mustafa, an ordinary man trying to do everything right.

200 Meters had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in 2020.

Ida Gulbrandsen (Archive 2020)

Mini-lecture with Hilde Henriksen Waage

Ahead of the screening of 200 METERS, Hilde Henriksen Waage will hold a mini-lecture titled «Why Has the Palestinians Lost the Struggle for the Land?» The lecture will be in Norwegian. 

From 20:00 to 20:30, Waage will also be outside the auditorium to sign and sell her books Konflikt og stormaktspolitikk i Midtøsten and Spillet om Syria.

Director

Ameen Nayfeh (b. 1988) was born in Palestine and spent his childhood moving between Palestine and Jordan. Despite an early interest in film, he first pursued a degree in nursing, graduating from Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem in 2010. Two years later, he completed a master's degree in film production at the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Jordan. 200 Meters is Nayfeh’s first feature film and has won awards at numerous film festivals worldwide.

This film is part of