Nation Estate

Set in contemporary times in Jerusalem and surrounding Palestinian spaces, the film uses up-to-date security architecture and mobility constraints to frame its story. The elevator unfolds as a transit map through modern urban life and political geography. The narrative focuses on everyday acts—watering a plant, heating food, and sharing a view of the city—that carry hope and continuity in a region marked by displacement and control.

The film unfolds across Jerusalem and Bethlehem, moving through a bank of elevators and intimate domestic spaces. It juxtaposes modern interior architecture with recognizable sacred sites like Al-Aqsa, framing each stop as a miniature panorama of Palestinian life. The sequence of elevator stops—Jerusalem first, then Bethlehem—maps Palestinian spaces and daily life within a landscape shaped by conflict and endurance. Through these settings, ordinary acts of care become acts of resilience against restriction and memory.

🗝️ Identity

Identity is traced through the Woman’s ritual acts and the symbolic Palestinian flag keycard. The elevator’s floors map spaces of belonging, translating geography into intimate acts within a guarded home. The pregnancy of the Woman adds a layer of future belonging and continuity in a contested landscape. Through quiet care and ritual, the film questions who belongs where and how visibility is granted in daily life.

🌿 Resilience

Small rituals become acts of resilience in a restricted world. Watering the interior tree, heating canned food, and preparing a meal transform ordinary tasks into expressions of care and survival. The routine of domestic life becomes a counter-narrative to displacement and surveillance. Resilience is framed as hopeful, everyday momentum rather than grand gestures.

🚧 Borders

Borders are not only physical barriers but the limits of access and visibility. The wall-like panel that reframes Jerusalem behind a barrier shows how geography constrains movement and identity. The elevator itself crosses floors that map contested spaces, turning private space into a portable borderland. The film invites viewers to rethink boundaries as it presents intimate acts that cross them in ordinary life.