Habibi Hussein

Hussein Darbi worked at a cinema in Jenin for 40 years. When a German non-governmental organization undertook the reconstruction of the ruined building, his experience proved indispensable. Over time, however, he was no longer needed. The film is a warning against cultural colonialism and an allegory of something far greater than cinema itself. While Marcus Vetter in “Cinema Jenin” (2012) praised the reconstruction process, “Habibi Hussein” presents the subject from a Palestinian perspective. It is a very different story – one that reveals ignorance, lack of planning, and a shortage of respect for another human being. Only Hussein knew how to operate the cinema projector. Yet at the official reopening, he would not even receive a word of thanks.