Oh, my--have you seen Omar?

Since the terrible events of October 7, 2023, it’s difficult to try and examine the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the lens of recent cinema. But one film that emerges as a touchstone on this topic is Omar, a Palestinian drama directed by Hany Abu-Assad (who is of both Arabic and Israeli descent, raised in Nazareth) that debuted in 2013 and earned a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This picture—starring Adam Bakri in the titular role along with Leem Lubany, Samer Bisharat, Waleed Zuaiter, and Eyad Hourani—aims to illuminate the Palestinian viewpoint on life amid occupation, delving into themes of love, betrayal, and resistance.

The storyline centers on Omar, a young Palestinian baker who regularly scales the West Bank separation wall to visit his love interest, Nadia, the sister of childhood friend Tarek. Engaged in resistance against the Israeli occupation, Omar and his companions face turmoil after a fatal attack on an Israeli soldier. Arrested and pressured into collaboration by Israeli authorities, Omar grapples with mounting suspicions among his inner circle. Caught between allegiance to his cause and safeguarding loved ones, the film chronicles Omar's journey navigating the intricate dynamics of trust, betrayal, and loyalty amid the ongoing conflict.

To listen to a recording of our CineVerse group discussion of Omar, conducted last week, click here.

Omar lingers long in the imagination after the end credits roll because it consistently upends our expectations, throwing us curveballs and sliders. Consider how, each time Omar climbs over the barricade wall separating the territories, we anticipate that he’s perhaps on a dangerous mission; instead, he’s often simply attempting to visit his girlfriend. Or ponder our surprise when we learn (SPOILERS AHEAD) that Omar is to be released not once but twice from custody, not to mention the serious love triangle subplot that emerges toward the end involving a pregnancy we eventually learn is a lie or the cat-and-mouse games played between Amjad and Omar to save their skins or protect Nadia. Agent Rami isn’t the outright villain we thought he’d be, either, showing shades of humanity and compassion we didn’t see coming. And we don’t get any hot and heavy passion scene or sex sequence featuring Omar and Nadia.

The movie isn’t preachy or severely biased toward the Palestinian side. While we see how Omar is humiliated by Israeli police and tortured by Israeli interrogators, we also witness the three friends involved in a random and senseless act of killing an Israeli soldier. We also empathize a bit with agent Rami in a brief scene depicting a minor familial problem. Additionally, none of the major characters are motivated by religious beliefs or a faction like Hamas.

Salon critic Andrew O’Hehir wrote: “Abu-Assad never editorializes about the morality or usefulness of the idiotic scheme that Omar and his pals cook up to ambush and kill an Israeli soldier with a hunting rifle. It’s presented as almost a natural outgrowth of a situation of boredom and frustration… If you want an inspiring political essay about the plight of the Palestinian people, or the promise of a hopeful future, look elsewhere. “Omar” is a story about a place where ordinary people, decent enough on their own terms, destroy each other and themselves. When the cascade of violent climaxes comes, you’ll see it was there all along.”

Omar checks several genre and subgenre boxes, proving to be an effective spy thriller, love triangle romance, coming-of-age drama, and pseudo-documentary-of-sorts revealing everyday moments inside an occupied territory. Tonally, Omar can shift abruptly between tense, comical, disturbing, and tender. Per Critic Geoffrey Macnab: “Some of the sudden lurches in tone in Omar are disconcerting. The film combines gentle comedy and moments of lyricism with scenes of torture and violence. Such shifts are intentional. Abu-Assad is simply reflecting the ever-changing nature of his characters' daily lives in a fraught and strange environment in which betrayal has become endemic.”

You don’t need a PhD to parse the prominent subtexts at work: betrayal, suspicion, and mistrust. Each of the Palestinian friends in this story betrays or is suspected of betraying each other, which reaps devastating consequences on their relationships and the deaths of Omar and Tarek. Loyalties are in a constant state of scrutiny, with paranoia prevailing as characters navigate the repercussions of their choices and confront the looming specter of betrayal from those closest to them. The film also navigates the complex three-way relationship between Omar, Nadia, and Amjad, where loyalties and friendships are continually tested.

The consequences of occupation are also explored. The movie depicts the harsh realities endured by Palestinians in the occupied territories as well as the violent opposition inflicted upon Israeli soldiers. Additionally, the film shows the price humanity pays for prolonged conflict: Omar, Nadia, Amjad, Tarek, and their loved ones can’t live a normal or safe life amidst this ongoing violence and oppression.

Lastly, while shown more from the Palestinian point of view, the film deftly portrays how there are victims and casualties on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ruminating on a vicious cycle of violence. It also offers no answers for how to solve this crisis or curb the violence that it creates. Each act of aggression triggers a chain reaction of retribution, perpetuating a destructive cycle of vengeance and reprisal that ensnares the characters and fuels the ongoing strife.

Similar works

• The Battle of Algiers
• Paradise Now
• Bethlehem
• The Attack
• Private
• Salt of This Sea
• About Elly

Other films by Hany Abu-Assad

• Rana's Wedding (2002)
• Paradise Now (2005)
• The Courier (2012)
• The Idol (2015)
• The Mountain Between Us (2017)
• Huda's Salon (2021)