Tel Aviv on Fire

A hapless production assistant turned unexpected writer for his uncle’s Palestinian soap opera (the titular Tel Aviv on Fire, set during the Six Day War), Salam finds himself in an awkward situation when a border guard at a checkpoint he crosses daily learns of his profession and begins to not-so-subtley demand some pro-Israeli storyline changes be implemented to improve the show. With Salam caught in the middle between the show's Palestinian financiers and his unwanted new writing partner, what could possibly go wrong? Winning the Audience Award at the Seattle International Film Festival, this hilariously biting yet breezy satire from Palestinian director Sameh Zoabi, challenges our ideas about where comedy comes from and with its insight into the young Palestinian mindset, gives us more hope for peace that perhaps any Oslo Accord ever could.