When I Saw You
Jordan, 1967. The world is alive with change: brimming with reawakened energy, new styles, music and an infectious sense of hope. In Jordan, a different kind of change is underway as tens of thousands of refugees pour across the border from Palestine. Having been separated from his father in the chaos of war, Tarek, 11, and his mother Ghaydaa, are amongst this latest wave of refugees. Placed in temporary refugee camps made up of tents and prefab houses until they would be able to return, they wait, like the generation before them who arrived in 1948. With difficulties adjusting to life in Harir camp and a longing to be reunited with his father, Tarek searches for a way out, and discovers a new hope emerging with the times. Eventually his free spirit and curious nature lead him to a group of people on a journey that will change their lives.
"A soft-centered child's-eye view of alienation, toughened by fine acting and Helene Louvart's full-bodied photography." -Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
"Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir provides a fresh perspective on one of the world's longest conflicts." - Peter Keough, Boston Globe
"As Tarek, Asfa is extraordinary. Yet another first-rate film from a Middle East rich with them." - Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice