Happy Holidays

What is it like to grow up with a mother who is rather intrusive and highly concerned with maintaining the family’s image? Where notions of honor don’t align with modern times? There is plenty of comedy, but it also becomes exhausting in the long run. Add to that the fact that you are Palestinian in today’s Israel, and it’s no surprise that the social pressure can become overwhelming.

Happy Holidays is an ensemble film centered around a Palestinian sibling pair—Rami, who is in love with a Jewish woman who has become pregnant, and Fifi, who is beautiful and charming and may have met the man in her life. Their father, Fouad, is hiding a massive debt from everyone, while their mother, Hanan, is busy planning the grandest wedding ever for the family’s youngest daughter. Maintaining appearances at all costs is the name of the game, but secrets tend not to stay hidden for very long.

Director Scandar Copti has created a film with many relatable and human issues. This is reinforced by the use of amateur actors in all the roles, a choice that works exceptionally well and adds a deep authenticity to the characters. While the dilemmas they face are unique to them, the emotions behind them are universally recognizable. Achieving your dreams isn’t always compatible with belonging to a family or a community.