Screening times:
Sunday, December 21, 5:30 PM

Scandar Copti | Palestine, France, Germany, Italy, Qatar | 2024 | 123m
Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles

While celebrating Purim at her university in Jerusalem, Fifi, a young Palestinian woman is hospitalized following a car accident. Though her injuries are minor, she fears her newfound freedom at school will now come under the scrutiny of her conservative parents. Meanwhile, back in Haifa, Fifi’s older brother Rami panics as he faces his own personal crisis - Shirley, his Jewish girlfriend, reveals she is pregnant and plans to carry the baby to term. Behind closed doors, the family's deep financial troubles come into focus while Hanan, Fifi and Rami's mother, plans her eldest daughter's wedding.

Led by an incredible cast of mostly non-professional actors, Happy Holidays is a dynamic, sociopolitical family saga which thoughtfully considers the myriad intricacies of Israeli Arab life. Directed by Oscar-nominated Palestinian filmmaker Scandar Copti (Ajami), the family’s stories and everyday anxieties weave together a collective portrait of a pressurized society.

"A cleverly structured Palestinian drama explores constriction and complicity in Israeli society." - Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter

"[T]he Israel-set “Happy Holidays” is a piercing, realistic family drama, the inflection points of which reveal deep cultural and political dimensions surrounding gender and ethnicity. Copti’s second feature follows an ensemble of characters — Arab and Jewish alike — to assemble a multifaceted portrait of life in Haifa." - Siddhant Adlakha, Variety

Winner: Aurora Prize (main film prize) - Tromsø International Film Festival, 2025
Winner: Orizzonti Award for Best Screenplay - Venice Film Festival, 2025
Winner: Étoile d'Or - Marrakech International Film Festival, 2024
Winner: Kaleidoscope, Production Award - Hamburg International Film Festival, 2024

Tickets $12 ($11.40 cash at the door if available)
Punch Passes welcome, email movies@carbonarc.ca to reserve