Ping-Pong

Director: Saleh Saadi

Producer: May Jabareen

Countries of Production: Palestine

Production companies: Philistine Films

Budget: USD 1,305,300

Secured budget, financiers and financing gap: The project is in early development - no approved financing/financiers yet (in progress)

Looking for: Co-producing partner, Funding, Development labs/workshops, Script advisor, Pitching opportunities

Contact: May Jabareen, Philistine Films - may@philistinefilms.com

Social media handles: @philistinefilms @mayhope @_salehsaadi

Synopsis:

As the war on Gaza erupts, a few kilometers away in the occupied 48 territories, Issam stays with his parents in his childhood home for the first time since his brother’s passing a year prior. The house feels heavy with memories and unspoken grief, while the echoes of war and loss are a constant backdrop. Stuck at home and weighed down by sorrow, Issam is drawn to the rhythmic sounds of ping-pong games coming from his neighbor’s house, cutting through the noise of warplanes overhead.

He befriends his neighbor, who hosts nightly ping-pong tournaments amidst the chaos. These gatherings become a refuge - a place where laughter and competition offer a temporary escape. Through his new friendship, Issam begins to grieve and confront the reality he must face, finding solace in the shared moments of humanity and resilience.

Director:

Saleh Saadi is a Palestinian writer-director, editor, and actor from Basmat Tab’un, Palestine, born on July 6th, 1998. His work centers on nuanced, character-driven stories that explore identity, family, and everyday life within Palestinian society.Saadi’s directorial debut, the short fiction film Borekas (2020), examines the quiet emotional tension between a father and son on their way to the airport. The film was selected for the Official Competition at the Palm Springs International ShortFest (2021) and screened at numerous other international festivals. His second short, A’lam (2022), which he wrote, directed, and starred in, delves into themes of personal identity. It premiered at the HollyShorts Film Festival (2022), receiving critical acclaim for its intimate, layered storytelling. In 2022, Saadi was selected to participate in the Middle East Media Initiative (MEMI) at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, a prestigious television writing program. There, he began developing his first TV series, Dyouf (Guests), which follows a Palestinian family who run a guesthouse for international travelers, offering a unique lens into Palestinian life and generational dynamics. The project was also selected for the 2024 OSN and Arab Fund for Arts and Culture’s Writer’s Room residency. Expanding into long-form storytelling, Saadi is currently developing his debut narrative feature film, Ping-Pong, marking the next chapter in his evolution as a filmmaker committed to authentic, grounded, and resonant storytelling.

Producer:

May Jabareen is a cultural activist, art manager, and producer at Philistine Films. Active in the industry since 2011, Jabareen has been part of numerous productions including Hany Abu-Assad's Omar and Huda’s Salon, Hiam Abbass' The Inheritance, Basil Khalil's A Gaza Weekend, Firas Khoury’s Alam, Farah Nabulsi’s The Teacher, Brand Andersen’s The Stranger’s Case, and Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias. Jabareen has acquired wide-ranging experience having worked in several positions within the industry including first and second assistant director, production coordinator, production manager, and assistant producer. Most recently, Jabareen has been acting as associate producer for Annemarie Jacir’s upcoming feature film, and as the Palestinian co-producer on an upcoming documentary set in Palestine by the Dutch director Marjolein Busstra. As well as developing two Palestinian series and a feature film among other projects.