remnants of a conversation

بقايا حديث
remnants of a conversation
by Jules Leaño and Mariam Afifi

2017, uk/palestine.
runtime: 16:11

"Remnants of a Conversation is an excellent short piece of visual anthropology, with an original approach which enables the filmmaker to convey a remarkable amount of information using just a few shots. It also offers a taste of the creative process of filmmaking, by providing a glimpse into the editing room."

- Astra Film Festival, 2018

Ramallah: Two friends together review footage and discuss how to put together a documentary about Palestinian culture - one that attempts to see past the politics. The footage along with souvenirs are packed up and sent to the UK to be edited. However, when the parcel arrives in pieces, the only footage left is that recovered from a hard drive. From the corrupted footage, the remnants of a conversation between two friends are weaved together to explore the nature of editing together a narrative and of filmmaking.

Inspired by the writings of Edward Saïd and the films of Jean Rouch, Remnants of a Conversation is a challenge to the Orientalist representations of Palestine that are pervasive in the media, instead offering a glimpse into the everyday.