Santa Claus tries to outrun a gang of
knife-wielding youth. It's one of several vignettes of
Palestinian life in Israel - in a neighborhood in Nazareth
and at Al-Ram checkpoint in East Jerusalem. Most of the stories
are droll, some absurd, one is mythic and fanciful; few words
are spoken. A man who goes through his mail methodically each
morning has a heart attack. His son visits him in hospital.
The son regularly meets a woman at Al-Ram; they sit in a car,
hands caressing. Once, she defies Israeli guards at the checkpoint;
later, Ninja-like, she takes on soldiers at a target range.
A red balloon floats free overhead. Neighbors toss garbage over walls.
Life goes on until it doesn't.
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