BAR BAHAR/ IN-BETWEEN

Israel, 2016, 103 minutes, Colour.
Mouna Hawa, Sana Jammelieh, Shaden Manboura, Mahmud Shalaby, Henry Andrawes.
Directed by Maysaloun Hamoud.

An Israeli film but the focus is on Israeli-Palestinians?, activities in Tel Aviv as well as the towns they come from, including Nazareth.

The focus is on three women who, at the opening, seem to be leading something of a wild life, clubbing, preoccupied with their clothes and fashions, alcohol, drugs, sexual encounters. In fact, one of them is a lawyer, the other works in a restaurant kitchen but gives up her job and works in a bar. They share an apartment in Tel Aviv.

They receive a third young woman who is studying at the University and needs accommodation. She is rather more strict in long Muslim traditions, especially in her clothing, part of an arranged marriage system. However, she does go to the club and does enjoy some dancing.

The next focus is on the three women and their relationships. The lawyer encounters a man who has spent time in New York but who eventually is ashamed of presenting her to his family and she breaks off the relationship. The Muslim woman is raped by her fiance, supported by the women who threaten the man, and then goes to her father to break off the engagement – he being supportive. The third woman begins a lesbian relationship with a friend she meets at the bar, is ousted from her family by her indignant father.

The final image of the film is the three women sitting together, the audience having shared their experiences.

1. An Israeli production? Focusing on Palestinians living within Israel? In Tel Aviv, in Nazareth, country towns? The Israeli perspective?

2. The contemporary settings? The city of Tel Aviv? Apartments and sharing? Professional work, legal work? Restaurants and kitchens? Bars? Universities and study? Family life, the older generation? Club life and the young adults and their style? Clubbing, drinks, drugs, sexual encounters and relationships? The musical score, club music, contemporary?

3. The focus on the two women and their sharing the apartment? At parties, their lifestyle, clothes, make-up, drinking, drugs, at home at home? The co-sharer and her invitation for her cousin?

4. Leila, her work in the law, professional, discussions about cases, the flirtatious fellow-lawyer? Salma, working in the kitchen, reaction against the boss, leaving? Later work in the bar? The friendship of the two women, shared lifestyle?

5. The arrival of Noor, her Muslim background customs, dress? Studies, computers? Welcomed by the two women, her room? Her different lifestyle? Get going to the club, dancing? At home cooking? The family? The arranged marriage, Wassim as her fiance, their interactions, at home, his raping her? The consequences, nor, for Leila and Salma? Noor going into the ocean swimming, cleansed? Her friends showering her? Her stands against Wassim, his saying that the episode should have been forgotten, in the past? The pressure on him by the friends? Noor going to her father, the break, his supporting her?

6. Leila, life, friendships, collectors, meeting Ziad, his American background, the relationship? Her calling in, his sister, Ziad and asking her not to smoke in front of her sister his sister? Her being upset, his being unwilling to introduce her to his family? Telling him to get out of the car, the break?

7. Salma, meeting her friend, the bonding, the lesbian relationship? Her parents and the planned marriage? The visit home, the wedding? Her father’s reaction, sending her
friend away, denouncing his daughter, her leaving, bonding with her friend?

8. The final focus on the three women, the different lifestyles, yet their mutual support and friendship?