The Time that Remains

Elia Suleiman's new film is the final part of a conceptual trilogy that started with 1996's "Chronicle of a Disappearance" and was followed by 2002's "Divine Intervention." All three portray the absurdity of the daily lives of Israel's Arab population. Inspired by his own memories, his father's diaries and his mother's letters to exiled family members, Suleiman interprets the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the intimate lens of family history.

"The Time That Remains" presents a segmented version of history, starting in 1948 - the year that Israel declared its independence - and finishing in the present day. As in his previous features, Suleiman casts himself as a nearly mute witness to events. This, combined with his characteristic black humor and slapstick timing, makes Suleiman come across as a Buster Keaton trapped in a surreal political farce. But "The Time That Remains" does not simply dismiss the seriousness of its subject matter. Instead, Suleiman's personal ties to the narrative and sensitive treatment of the material make this a poetic - and very funny - film.
ASHLEY SMITH