Event Details
In this episode of The Sounds of Film, Tom Needham speaks with acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker and visual artist Scandar Copti, the writer and director of the powerful new film Happy Holidays. The multi-layered drama follows four interconnected characters—Rami, Hanan, Miri, and Fifi—as they navigate the pressures of patriarchal values, cultural expectations, and the social systems that shape their realities.
Known for his Oscar-nominated debut Ajami, Copti once again challenges viewers to confront the mechanisms of perception and oppression that define everyday life for Palestinian and Israeli communities. Through his innovative use of non-actors, shifting perspectives, and emotionally intimate storytelling, Copti offers a bold exploration of identity, generational conflict, and the human cost of systems that regulate truth and behavior.
The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film-themed radio show, featuring in-depth interviews with directors, actors, writers, and composers from around the world. Past guests include Laurie Anderson, Chuck D, Carter Burwell, Mike Leigh, Kenneth Lonergan, and many others who are shaping the landscape of contemporary cinema and music.
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