NPR

Sharp, Bracingly Funny Film About 3 Young Women Living 'In Between'

In first-time writer-director Maysaloun Hamoud's film, two young, secular Arab women living in Tel Aviv get a devoutly Muslim roommate and struggle "to live between the cracks of several cultures."
Salma (Sana Jammelieh), Nur (Shaden Kanboura) and Laila (Mouna Hawa) share a quiet moment <em>In Between</em>.

, a bold, brassy and beautiful first feature about living while Arab and female in Israel, was made by a young Palestinian woman with Israeli funding. But that is not what from her own people. Set in Tel Aviv, Israel's most secular and free-wheeling city, the movie glances briefly and with astringent black humor at the contradictions of living points a accusatory finger at the ways in which Arab patriarchy and its enablers try to keep things medieval for their upcoming young women.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
Tesla Recalls Cybertruck Over Sticky Problem. Blame It On — Yes — Soap
Accelerator pedals on the new Cybertrucks can get stuck, a potentially dangerous production flaw. The reason why they're so sticky is soap.
NPR1 min read
Amsterdam Was Flooded With Tourists In 2023, So It Won't Allow Any More Hotels
Twenty-six hotels that already have permits can move forward, but after that a hotel can only be built if one shuts down. Tourists spent about 20.7 million nights in Amsterdam hotels last year.
NPR3 min readDiet & Nutrition
What World War II Taught Us About How To Help Starving People Today
The modern study of starvation was sparked by the liberation of concentration camp survivors. U.S. and British soldiers rushed to feed them — and yet they sometimes perished.

Related Books & Audiobooks