Synopsis:

Palestinian filmmaker Fuad Hindieh no longer believes in the age printed on his ID. So he sets out to legally change his date of birth—through the Israeli Ministry of Interior Affairs. As a resident of Jerusalem, Fuad must make this request to the very system of occupation that has long stolen his time, movement, experiences and opportunities. It’s a darkly comic paradox: like asking the wind to return what it has blown away—or the thief to write your receipt. What begins as a surreal legal petition becomes a deeper meditation on time under occupation: how it’s felt, controlled, and erased. At first, Fuad turns his camera outward, gathering stories from others. But when his lawyer urges him to focus on his own file, the film shifts inward. Blending dark comedy, reenactments, and archival echoes, Reclaiming Time is a cinematic case file on memory, absurdity, and aging in a place where time doesn’t flow—it fractures. Whether time can truly be reclaimed remains unresolved— but the act of trying leaves a mark.

Director’s profile:

Dedicated to the art of storytelling, I am a freelance filmmaker based in Jerusalem with a Master’s degree in filmmaking earned in 2012. My career has been a journey through various roles in media and cinema production, with a focus on directing and cinematography. Notable achievements include serving as Assistant Director on the Oscar- nominated short film The Present (2021) and as Director of Photography for the feature documentary Palestine 1920, which won the Silver Dolphins at Cannes (2021). Additionally, I have been imparting my knowledge as a Cinematography teacher at Dar Al Kalimah University since 2019-2023. I am also deeply involved in designing and implementing media and filmmaking projects for youths, both locally and internationally.

My work is driven by a commitment to crafting narratives that resonate and enrich the human experience, with a focus on elevating visual storytelling standards.