‘Disappearance’: Stunning Chronicle of Returning Home

“Chronicle of a Disappearance’s” title refers to the lack of a story to tell on the part of filmmaker Elia Suleiman, a Palestinian returning to his native land after a 12-year absence. He seems to have arrived at a moment of calm in Palestinian-Israeli relations, and as it turns out, this suits his purpose perfectly in what is a demanding, beautiful and understated experimental film of unexpected impact.

Suleiman has described his film as “a journey in search of what it means to be Palestinian.” Neither documentary nor fiction but partaking of both, “Chronicle” is best described as a journal expressing the filmmaker’s emotions and state of mind as he observes daily life about him. What he creates is a Palestinian’s sense of marginalization as well as pride in a series of vignettes, some dryly amusing, others expressing powerful emotions.

For example, Suleiman expresses great affection when he shows his father, seen through a window, enjoying the camaraderie of friends and besting them at arm wrestling. This is a film rich in references and nuances, and the exceptionally detailed synopsis provided reviewers reveals that far more extensive subtitles or perhaps narration in English added to the soundtrack really is needed to convey the full experience of the film available only to Arab-speakers.

Suleiman divides his film into two parts, “Nazareth Personal Diary” and “Jerusalem Political Diary,” but the transition between the two is gradual, a kind of looking into one’s self giving way to a looking outward. Warm observations of his relatives alternate with views of a listless, aimless existence, epitomized by the dull routines of the proprietor (Jamal Dehar) of a souvenir shop, the Holyland. One moment he’s seen filling bottles of holy water--from his own tap--another trying to keep a cheap camel statuette from falling over. Suleiman often sits out front of the store with the proprietor.

A triumph of succinct images and adroit structure, “Chronicle” gains focus and intensity, especially when it moves on to Jerusalem, where he witnesses an attractive Arab woman (Ula Tabari) experience repeated rejection when over the phone she tries to rent an apartment in Jewish West Jerusalem.

After an especially comic sequence, Suleiman falls heir to an Israeli policeman’s walkie-talkie, which allows him to evoke with alternating humor and fear an overwhelming sense of paranoia that a Palestinian can feel in regard to Israelis--and vice versa. (At one point what looks to be a terrorist’s hand grenade turns out to be a cigarette lighter.) The sense of absurdity over the entire Israeli-Palestinian predicament grows as “Chronicle” unfolds, and it ends with an image of profound alienation.

* Unrated. Times guidelines: The film’s style and themes are pretty daunting for youngsters.

‘Chronicle of a Disappearance’

(‘Segell Ikhtifa’)

Elia Suleiman: E.S.

Ula Tabari: Adan

Nazira Suleiman: Mother

Fuad Suleiman: Father

Jamal Dehar: Owner of the Holyland Shop

An International Film Circuit presentation of a Dhat production produced in association with the Fund for the Promotion of Israeli Quality Film, European Union Media Project, Centre National de la Cinematographie and Independent Television Service. Writer-producer-director Elia Suleiman. Executive producer Assaf Amir, Norma Productions. Cinematographer Marc Andre Batigne. Editor Anna Ruiz. Music Alla, Abed Azrie, Leonard Cohen and Natacha Atlas. Art directors Samir Srouji & Hans ter Elst. In Arabic, Hebrew, French and Russian, with English subtitles.

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* Exclusively at the Grande 4-Plex through Thursday, 345 S. Figueroa St., downtown Los Angeles, (213) 617-0268.