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Yalla Parkour

Panorama Dokumente 2025
© PK Gaza
When she was four, the filmmaker Areeb travelled to Gaza and saw the sea for the first time. That moment – the magic of the sea and the smile on her Palestinian mother’s face – had a lasting impact. When she sees a video of young men doing parkour on Gaza’s sandy shores, she is filled with nostalgia. The joy of the young athletes stands in stark contrast to the distant echoes of explosions. Longing to reconnect with her past, Areeb gets in touch with the parkour team and befriends Ahmed. Together, they navigate what is left of Gaza, exploring a cemetery, a run-down shopping centre and the remains of an airport. As their relationship deepens, Ahmed reveals the harsh realities of life in Gaza and Areeb’s initial curiosity develops into a profound appreciation of the struggles he is facing. Ahmed’s desire to escape the confines of his homeland triggers conflicting feelings in Areeb, who understands the emotional void that such a departure can bring. Areeb’s journey becomes not only a quest to reclaim memories but also an exploration of identity, belonging and the haunting legacy of a homeland left behind.
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by Areeb Zuaiter (Director)
with Ahmed Matar Sweden / Qatar / Saudi Arabia / Palestine 2024 Arabic, Swedish 89' Colour European premiere | Debut film | Documentary form

With

  • Ahmed Matar

Crew

Director Areeb Zuaiter
Cinematography Ibrahim Al-Otla, Marco Padoan, Umit Gulsen
Editing Phil Jandaly
Music Diab Mekari
Sound Design Yehya Breshe
Producer Basel Mawlawi
Executive Producers Basel Mawlawi, Lisa Nyed

Produced by

Kinana Films

World Sales

ArtHood Entertainment

Photos

Areeb Zuaiter

The multinational filmmaker lives and works in Washington, D.C. Her first short film, Stained, won the Jury Prize at the European International Film Festival in Beirut while her short documentary Colors of Resistance was nominated for Sony’s Outstanding Thesis Award and won several prizes at the Colorado Activism Film Festival and the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards. Yalla Parkour is her first feature-length documentary. It has already won the International Competition Grand Jury Prize at DOC NYC. Alongside her work as a director, she heads the programming department at the Amman International Film Festival.

Filmography

2004 Stained; short film 2019 Colors of Resistance; short documentary 2024 One Last Wish; short film 2025 Yalla Parkour; documentary

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025