This film follows Palestinian actress Hiam Abbas and filmmaker’s daughter Lina as they journey through the memories of four generations of daring Palestinian women in their home village of Deir Hanna.
The Palestinian documentary Bye Bye Tiberias, directed by Lina Soualem, will debut on OSN+ on July 12, 2024. The film, which has been submitted by Palestine for consideration in the International Feature category at the 2024 Oscars, is represented internationally by Lightdox.
A collaborative effort between France, Belgium, Qatar, and Palestine, Bye Bye Tiberias features dialogue in both French and Arabic. The documentary stars Hiam Abbass who returns to her homeland to explore the stories of four generations of Palestinian women.
In her feature, Soualem weaves the narratives of four generations of Palestinian women from her own family, including her mother, the acclaimed actress Hiam Abbass.
Three decades ago, Hiam embarked on a journey from her native Palestinian village of Deir Hanna in Galilee to Paris, where she aspired to fulfil her acting dreams. Growing up alongside her grandmother Um Ali, mother Neemat, and seven sisters, Hiam’s bold decision led her to a new life, The place where her daughter Lina was born, thirty-two years ago. Despite her departure, Hiam took Lina to her village every summer during her childhood, and all their trips were filmed. As Lina looks back at these videotapes from the ’90s, she starts questioning her mother’s bold choices, her chosen exile and the way the women of her family, whom she left behind, have influenced her life.
Bye Bye Tiberias had its world premiere at Venice’s Giornate degli Autori and has since been showcased at Toronto, Chicago, BFI London Film Festival and DOK Leipzig, among others. The documentary has also received funding awards at the Cairo International Film Festival, El Gouna Film Festival and Doha Film Institute, and participated in Marrakesh’s Atlas Workshop.
The film was produced by France’s Beall Productions, with co-production contributions from Belgium’s Altitude 100 Production, Versus Productions, and Palestine’s Philistine Films.