Rashid Masharawi, whose much-praised Curfew showed here in 1995, returns to the subject he knows best, life in a Palestinian refugee camp, where interwoven stories offer timely insight into the current Palestinian mindset. Abu Saïd, a former policeman, hails political developments like the signing of the peace agreement, but even for him, it will all come down to the personal in the end. His wife, Oum Saïd, hangs her hopes on the imminent release of their eldest son from prison, and busies herself finding him a bride. A younger son refuses either belief or hope, and a daughter is hopelessly romantic about the future. At the center of the film is Haifa, a fixture on the streets of Gaza, and privy to all the stories. Nicknamed for the city he loves, Haifa plays the fool, and probably is crazy, but there are many things only he knows. In portraying Haifa, "leading Palestinian actor Mohammad Bakri creates a warmly human soul whose aching, unfulfilled longing is a symbol for all of Palestine." (Deborah Young, Variety)