LET IT BE MORNING

Based on the Sayed Kashua novel, Eran Kolirin‘s sharp political satire LET IT BE MORNING hits theaters this Friday. Premiering at Canne in 2022, we find Sami returning to his childhood village to attend his younger brother’s wedding, only to find Israeli soldiers lock down the town without explanation.

On the surface, the film is an intimate character study of the growing tensions in a family and community in close quarters and the disruption of everyday life. Slyly mirroring the Israel-Palestine tensions in a darkly comedic way, LET IT BE MORNING tackles the status quo, the want for power, and the need for change in a superbly brilliant way.

Shai Goldman‘s cinematography captures both the beautiful landscape and the claustrophobic living conditions, smartly accentuated by natural light, soft candlelight, and lone street lamps. Music tracks like SIA‘s “Chandelier” break the tension in seemingly mundane moments. The script gets funnier and deeper under such dark circumstances as everyone approaches their physical and emotional breaking points.

Performances are undeniably fantastic. Most notably, Juna Sulieman as Mira, Ehab Salami as the ever-optimistic Abed, and Alex Bakri as an often indifferent Sami. They wade through politics, flailing relationships, and the facades we curate for survival. LET IT BE MORNING utilizes biting humor, metaphor, and reluctant honesty to tackle happiness and hope.

LET IT BE MORNING opens in theaters on February 3rd in New York City (QUAD Cinema) and LA (Laemmle Royal).

The film will then expand into select major cities on February 10th and nationwide on February 17th.

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, then went on to acclaim at other festivals around the world. It also won in nine of the eleven categories in which it was nominated at the Ophir Awards (Israel’s Academy Awards), including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

QUAD Cinema’s Retrospective Series Honoring Filmmaker Eran Kolirin:

Quad Cinema in New York will also be presenting a four-day retrospective (Jan 30th-Feb 2nd) featuring select films from Eran Kolirin’s filmography, celebrating the director’s work leading up to the theatrical release of Let It Be Morning. Co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel in NY, the retrospective series will include the 2007 global phenomenon (and Kolirin’s feature directorial debut) The Band’s Visit on 35mm as well as the 2011 Venice-selected, quirky comedy The Exchange and soldier-returns-home drama Beyond the Mountains and Hills, which competed in the Un Certain Regard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Filmmaker Eran Kolirin will be present for Q&A discussions after select screenings throughout the retrospective and during the opening weekend of “Let It Be Morning” at the QUAD Cinema.

About filmmaker Eran Kolirin:

Born in Tel Aviv in 1973, writer/director Eran Kolirin’s feature film debut THE BAND’S VISIT (2007) thrust him into the international spotlight, winning critical acclaim and over 50 prestigious awards from around the globe, including eight Israeli Academy awards, two awards and special mentions at the Cannes Film Festival and two European Film Awards. His second film THE EXCHANGE (2010) competed at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in 2011. In 2016, his third film BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS AND HILLS premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. LET IT BE MORNING is his fourth feature film as writer/director.