200 Meters

Both gripping thriller and insightful character drama, 200 Meters makes clever use of the barriers and contradictions of life in the occupied territories in Palestine. Mustafa and his wife Salwa live 200 metres apart in villages separated by the wall. One day he gets a call every parent dreads: his son has had an accident. Rushing to cross the Israeli checkpoint, Mustafa is denied on a technicality and is forced to try and smuggle himself to the other side of the wall in an increasingly desperate odyssey along the border.

Here, in Palestine we got used to adapt to new situations, to do as we’re told and camouflage our feelings. But this should no longer be acceptable. Freedom of movement is a very basic human right that seems to be a fairytale in such a brutal reality. The main character Mustafa has obeyed the rules, endured the humiliation and did as told in order to secure a small chance to be with his family, but when the same rules that alienated his life put his family and fatherhood on stake, will he obey it any longer?

Director Ameen Nayfeh