Chronicle of a Disappearance

The central returning figure, E.S. navigates unfamiliar spaces after twelve years in New York. He observes and participates in fragmented, almost documentary-like scenes that emphasize the fragility of belonging. His presence anchors the film's meditation on exile, memory, and the clash between personal desire and political reality.

Owner of the Holyland souvenir shop, he embodies the satirical view of sacred relics and tourist culture. His routine—filling bottles with 'holy water' and waiting for customers—highlights the commodification and trivialization of sacred signs. He becomes a small, quietly comic beacon amid broader political tension.

A relative in the Nazareth diary segments, she represents family continuity and ordinary life amid upheaval. Her interactions offer warmth and a grounded counterpoint to political debate, underscoring the human desire for normalcy.

A matriarch figure who anchors the family’s everyday life. Her presence in domestic scenes reinforces themes of care, memory, and the quiet resilience required to endure statelessness and political strain.

The patriarch who navigates tradition and the surrounding political climate. His interactions reveal intergenerational perspectives on homeland, faith, and survival within a region of enduring conflict.

A participant in the conference on Palestinian filmmaking; his moment on stage is cut short by feedback, satirizing the fraught politics of cultural expression. He embodies the film’s meta-commentary on art under occupation.

A local who runs a neighborhood cafe, adding texture to daily life and offering a space for dialogue and small social interactions within the urban backdrop.

A Russian Orthodox cleric encountered in dialogue about faith and place, his views echo debates about sacred spaces and the impact of tourism on religious sites.

A Russian waitress who appears in a cross-cultural setting, representing the international presence and layered interactions in the region.

Co-owner or counterpart to the Holyland shop, tied to the motif of sacred commerce and everyday satire in the Nazareth segment.

A character among the Arab men in the Sea of Galilee sequence, illustrating communal ties and the everyday life of the Palestinian people along with glimpses of intra-community tension.