On Wednesday, for the third day of the Week of Rage, Illinois State University’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held a movie night, showing Elia Suleiman’s “The Time That Remains.”
“The Time That Remains” is a semi-biographical film following a family from 1948 to recent times.
Suleiman balances drama and comedy to show a realistic point of view of Palestinians living through the creation of the state of Israel and the Nakba.
March, a senior education major and SJP’s outreach and organization chair, discussed the importance of this movie.
“When [people] are living through a disaster, they’re not solemn all the time. This feels very real, very human,” March said.
The movie begins with the Israeli army taking over the city of Nazareth, followed by a string of violence that continues throughout the rest of the movie.
The film balances war and daily life in a way that tries to make something foreign to most people easier to understand.
March said this film shows how violence can impact everyone around the globe, and separating the current war from people’s lives is impossible.
“Violence is not isolated, not selective; it hits every generation and every person,” March said.
Alongside the violence in the film, the viewers also see the events leading up to the Palestinians no longer being tolerated, showing both mental and physical punishment.
Despite its strong image, this showing was a chance for students to take a break while still learning and showing support.
“This is an opportunity to connect with the artistic side of Palestinian people,” March said.
This film has won five awards and had seven nominations in many film festivals, such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Cinema for Peace Awards.
Showing an artistic film gave students the chance to see Palestinians in a way that some people have not seen them in recent years.
March emphasized the ways Palestinians have been viewed differently.
“How much land has been destroyed, how many people have died,” March said. “While really important, it can be dehumanizing to be reduced to data.”
SJP hoped students used this opportunity to connect with humanity and realize that these are real people who are impacted.
They also seek to foster a connection between students by using Rage Week and screening “The Time That Remains” as a catalyst.
“When [students] are with other people, they recognize that this is a commitment,” March said. “It’s a necessary thing that needs dedication.”
The film ended emotionally as the audience realized Elia Suleiman, who acted in his film, is playing himself.
After the movie ended, students connected and had discussions to end the night.
“Any kind of action that we can do is important,” March said.
Showing “The Time That Remains” is another step SJP took in informing students of the past and present.
SJP’s Week of Rage hopes to bring awareness to current events and continue its steps towards resolution.
