By Jordan Mintzer. Extramarital affairs have probably been the basis for too many filmsโnot to mention too many recent TV shows, including The Affair itself. But in The Reports on Sarah and Saleem , Palestinian director Muayad Alayan adds a meaningful new twist to the tried and tested between-the-sheets scenario, focusing on two couples caught on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Premiering in competition in Rotterdam, this well-acted sophomore feature somewhat overstretches its welcome in the second half, but still makes for a compelling drama in which the personal crosses paths with the political.
Overseas fests and boutique distributors should give it a look. The Bottom Line A compelling political take on a casual affair. Sarah will then need to decide where her loyalties lie: to her husband and country or to a part-time lover who has inadvertently become a political prisoner.
Muayad Alayan coaxes excellent performances out of the two leads and their supporting spouses, and even if the drama can seem heavy-handed in a few places, it remains quite believable throughout. Handheld camerawork and naturalistic lighting by cinematographer Sebastian Bock capture the many contrasts between East and West Jerusalemโas well as the roads Sarah and Saleem take as they navigate between the two.
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