Chronicles from the Siege

وقائع زمن الحصار

Algeria, France, Palestine | 2026 | 100 min

Language: Arabic

Subtitles: English

Not for persons under 12

Director(s): Abdallah Alkhatib

Script: Abdallah Al-Khatib

Cast: Nadeem Rimawi, Saja Kilani, Ahmad Kontar, Samer Bisharat, Ahmed Zitouni, Wassim Fedriche, Idir Benaibouche, Abdallah Alkhatib, Emad Azmi, Maria Zreik, Omar Rammal, Hamzeh Mahadin, Nour Seraj Hayet Abu Samar, Majd Hijawi, Omar Almajali

Production: Issaad Film Productions, Evidence Film

Distribution: Loco Films

Drama

War Society Family Home Sense of Danger Critics Choice

New Voices

Screenings:

Palestinian-Syrian director Abdallah Al-Khatib’s first feature-length fiction film is an almost mundane, human portrayal of life in a city besieged by war. We are not in the midst of battle here, but rather accompanying ordinary people through daily life that has become uncertain and dangerous, with explosions, the roar of fighter jets, strangers appearing at the door, and constant unpredictability serving as the backdrop.

Everyday life does not stop even in the midst of war, and people love, fear, dream, and hold on to one another as best as they can. One looks for something to eat, another wonders whether to burn old VHS tapes for heat or save them as a memento of the past, lovers try to find at least a moment of closeness, and a soon-to-be father must find blood for his wife, who is about to give birth. Every moment could be the last.

The film explores what living amid war and siege does to people. It also depicts how tenaciously hope, humor, and love endure under extraordinary circumstances.

Piia Latvala

Updated 2026-07-30 17:30:10 UTC