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UCLA International Institute

Let It Be Morning

UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies and Cohen Media Group invite you to attend this free, in-person sneak preview screening of the film Let It Be Morning. The screening will be followed by a virtual Q&A with the film's award-winning writer & director, Eran Kolirin.

Monday, Jan. 30, 6 p.m.

Free

About the Film

Let It Be Morning is an Israeli film about a state of siege, both internal and external. It is centered around a man who has built a wall around his heart, which begins to dissolve when a real wall goes up around his hometown. The film is centered around Sami (Alex Bakri), a Palestinian-born Israeli citizen living in Jerusalem who receives an invitation to his brother’s wedding forcing him to return to the Arab village where he grew up. After the wedding finishes, with no explanation, Sami's hometown is put under a military blockade lockdown by Israeli soldiers. When chaos erupts overnight amongst the villagers stuck behind the wall, Sami is cut off from the outside world and is trapped in an unexpected situation. As he deals with questions about his own identity, Sami watches everything he holds dear begin to fall apart.

Let It Be Morning was written and directed by the award-winning Israeli filmmaker Eran Kolirin (The Band's Visit) and adapted from the international best-selling novel by Palestinian author Sayed Kashua. The film won nine of the eleven categories in which it was nominated at the Ophir Awards (Israel’s Academy Awards), including best film, director, actor, and actress.

Runtime: 101 Minutes

Languages: Arabic & Hebrew (with English Subtitles)

Let It Be Morning opens in Los Angeles theatres on February 3rd at the Laemmle Royal and Landmark Pasadena Theatres.

 About the Speaker

Eran Kolirin is an Israeli screenwriter and film director. His cinema directorial debut, The Band's Visit (2007), was a critical success, winning eight Awards at the Israeli Film Academy and prizes at several international film festivals. Kolirin himself won the Israeli Film Academy's awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay. His second film, The Exchange, was in competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September 2011. His next film, Beyond the Mountains and Hills, was selected to be screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. It was screened in film festivals around the world, winning several awards, including Best Feature Film at the 2016 UK Jewish Film Festival. His latest film, Let It Be Morning features an all-Arab cast, won an Ophir Award, and will represent Israel at the Oscars.

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