Robert Abzug, Director
CLA 2.402, 305 E 23rd St B3600, Austin, TX 78712 • 512-475-6178
Atash (Thirst) Israel/Palestine 2004
Fri, March 28, 2008 • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM • AVAYA Auditorium, ACES Building
hamed by an unnamed sin committed by his twenty-something daughter, patriarch Abu Shukri moves his family miles from their village, where they eke out a precarious existence making charcoal from stolen wood.
This striking debut feature from 28-year-old Palestinian director Tawfik Abu Wael relies very little upon dialogue, playing out chiefly as a succession of images underpinned by a timeless parable of force and simplicity. Assaf Sudry's cinematography is beautiful; virtually every shot would make a ravishing still image, with lighting and composition worthy of Kieslowski. These considered visuals combined with the mythic starkness of the story and characterization make for a ponderous viewing experience; there's little raggedy spontaneity to conjure with, despite a wholly non-professional cast, and nary a hint of leavening humorSponsored by: the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies; the Center for Mexican-American Studies; the Center for Middle Eastern Studies; the Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies;
