1967. In a refugee camp in Jordan, displaced Palestinians wait to exercise their ‘right of return’ and go back to Palestine. But little stubborn Tarek is drawn too strongly to his father and sets off alone for home. A group of ‘Fedayeen’, freedom fighters, pick him up along the way. When his mother, desperately searching for her son, joins the group, a tender drama unfolds about belonging, alienation, resignation, struggle, and hope.
In her first historical drama, the award-winning director emphasizes authenticity and poetry. The story takes place immediately after the Six-Day War, in which the Negev Desert, the Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem, which had been granted special status by the UN in 1948, were annexed by Israel. At the same time, the musical contributions—Palestinian resistance songs, pop from the 1960s, a song by Cat Stevens, the traditional “Dabke” dance, and some oud sounds—lend the film artistic and cultural credibility.
Perhaps the film was best summed up by the 2013 Berlinale: “When I Saw You” tells of a child’s ability to prevent adults from resigning themselves to something when there is still hope for change.