Palestinian Filmmaker Maha Haj on Politics and Male Vulnerability in ‘Mediterranean Fever’
Caitlin Quinlan Returning to Cannes’ Un Certain Regard with her second feature film, Palestinian director Maha Haj tackles the dynamics of male friendship and the strain of living under occupation in “Mediterranean Fever.” The subtly tender film follows family man Waleed, whose chronic depression hinders his dreams of a writing career and leads him into the path of neighbor and petty criminal Jalal, where tragedy awaits. “Mediterranean Fever” is a co-production between Palestine, Germany, France, Cyprus and Qatar, with sales handled by Luxbox.“The idea came to me five years ago,” says Haj, “but I can’t really tell you how or what exactly inspired me.