In this dark, bittersweet comedy, inspired by a true story, we meet 60-year-old fisherman Issa, who is secretly in love with Siham—a dressmaker who works at a market on the Gaza Strip. Just as he determines to propose to his beloved, Issa discovers an ancient statue of the Greek god Apollo (replete with a prominent and fully erect penis) in his fishing net, which he hides at home. When Hamas, the governing Palestinian nationalist organisation, catch wind of this mysterious treasure, Issa’s real troubles begin, and he is subjected to a slew of searches, seizures and jail sentences. But will he ever succeed in declaring his love to Siham?
Gaza Mon Amour celebrates the resilience of romance in a country of conservative tradition and endless political strife—romance found in an exchanged glance, a shared moment under an umbrella, or even a skewer of sardines prepared with love.
