‘Nation Estate’ by Palestinian Artist Larissa Sansour

SARAJEVO / Arab Fund for Arts and Culture presented 'Nation Estate' by Palestinian multimedia artist Larissa Sansour in the Cinema City in Sarajevo. The 9 min film was screened within the Sarajevo Film Festival Guests Present Programme.

Palestinian multimedia artist Larissa Sansour at Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine

'Nation Estate' is bold and visually expressive hi production short film, which in a special way deals with the current status of Palestine. Sansour is presenting the futuristic story, imbued with striking iconic elements, suggesting a bleak future of Palestine as an isolated entity, surrounded by the walls that exist today.

Palestine in Sansour's vision is a giant skyscraper where each floor accommodates a Palestinian city. Palestinians, detained in this space see their land and their sanctities only from a distance. A surrealist film language emphasizes the sense of alienation and powerlessness in making the world better and meaningful, although through certain scenes artist suggests that a better tomorrow is yet to come for the future generations.

The film is infused with exceptional visual language, striking scenes and impressive computer animation.

Stills from 'Nation Estate'

The scene from 'Nation Estate' - Main female lead, played by Larissa Sansour herself, in the elevator / Photo taken on SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

The scene from 'Nation Estate' - Main female lead traveling from one floor to another / Photo taken at SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

The scene from 'Nation Estate' - One floor of the sky scrapper / Photo taken at SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

The scene from 'Nation Estate' / Photo taken at SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

The scene from 'Nation Estate' - Pregnant main lead watching the Palestinian land in the distance / Photo taken at SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

The scene from 'Nation Estate' - The skyscraper / Photo taken at SFF by Islamic Arts Magazine

After the screening Sansour explained that 'Nation Estate' was created more as conceptual video then a classic film. A series of seven photographic works were created from the scenes within the film and are a part of the video installation.

The audience at the screening of 'Nation Estate' / Photo by Islamic Arts Magazine