Mayor 

Now showing. Ends January 21st.

(USA, UK / 2020 / Directed by David Osit)

Surrounded on all sides by soldiers and Israeli settlements, most people in Ramallah will never have the chance to travel more than a few miles outside their home, which is why its mayor, Musa Hadid, is determined to make the city a beautiful and dignified place to live. Rich with detailed observation and a surprising amount of humor, Mayor offers a portrait of resilience while posing a question: how do you run a city when you don’t have a country?

Musa Hadid is not an imposing man. With his business suit and caterpillar mustache, the beginning of the film shows him discussing the city’s “We Rammallah” slogan and planning its pre-Christmas festivities, which feature several Santas rappelling down the sides of multi-story buildings to a dance remix of “Jingle Bells.” This bit of revelry may also be artful foreshadowing. Before long, the City of Ramallah is thrown for a loop when the Trump administration declares its plans to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Showing the impact of distant geopolitics on the everyday, the film follows Hadid as he grapples with the implications of this decision. When he eventually finds himself holed up in City Hall surrounded by Israeli soldiers, there are gunshots and gas, and phone calls to journalists. Then, just like that, the soldiers retreat, workers come out to clear up the debris, and the City of Rammallah continues its plans to launch a spectacular water fountain. Capturing the impossible frustrations of a community under occupation, Mayor also conveys the absurdities and humor the situation produces while showing that there’s no such thing as local politics.

Unrated / 1 hr 20 mins.
In Arabic and English with subtitles