TO BEITA, WITH LOVE – Pre-Shoot Q&A

Tell us about your short. What is it about, and what inspired you to write it?

To Beita, With Love follows Lena, a 12-year-old Palestinian-American, and her younger siblings Omar and Yasmeen, as they plot a scheme to frame their parents for petty crimes and turn them in to ICE, thinking that deportation is a free ticket to the West Bank. We follow their scheme as they construct their evidence, all captured on camcorder footage, that they then attach to a written emotional appeal to ICE, in hopes of getting deported.

I wrote this script at a time when I was very anxious about my immigration status, and the idea of self-deporting as a way to alleviate all that anxiety was ever present in my head. And so I got the idea: what if someone naively thought that this is their way of helping someone else? Deport them so that they can go back to the place they miss? Obviously, for Palestinians, deportation rarely means going back to Palestine, but rather some other country that their parents (or themselves) have settled in. This peculiar setup, tragic and all, lent itself well to an absurd situation in which the kids try to help their parents… by getting them deported. And so I got attracted to the idea of exploring this from the kids’ perspective.

What motivated you to enter the Short Film Fund?

I was really proud of the script when I finished writing it in February, and it was getting strong feedback from those that I sent it to, so I thought about submitting it to grants. I started searching online and looking for grants, and very quickly I landed on Shore Scripts. The prize package that the Short Film Fund offers, as well as the diverse and esteemed judging panel, made it too tempting not to submit the script, which I thankfully did.

How did you feel when you found out that you won?

Incredible. It’s been two weeks, but it’s just starting to set in that I really did win. As filmmakers, we have to be comfortable with being rejected, and I have been rejected from grants and programs countless times, so it’s an incredible feeling when something works out, especially when it’s very competitive. You apply to things assuming that you will be rejected, but hoping that you won’t. I will say that the intense feeling of excitement that I felt when I saw the email was quickly followed that night by the thought of “Oh boy, I actually have to make this now,” which is scary but in the best way possible.

Do you want to develop the script further? If so, what will you look to change?

Yes! The script is currently being workshopped as part of The Story Lab by Filmlab Palestine, which is specifically targeted for scripts with young protagonists for young audiences. I want to further develop my younger characters: Lena, Omar and Yasmeen. Working with the Story Lab has taught me a lot about curating films and narratives for younger audiences, as well as keeping it engaging for older ones. It’s a tricky balance, but we are working towards it.

Do you think about the practicalities of filming when you write? If so, how has that changed your writing process, or have you always worked in that way?

Absolutely. I think writing to your resources is a must if you’re someone who usually directs their own scripts. I think it means coming up with stories that you can realistically tell with what’s available to you—I have always maintained the belief that limitation is the best fuel for creativity, as it gives you a solid starting point. That said, with To Beita, With Love, I intentionally decided to write something that is out of my immediate reach resources-wise, to see what could be possible. And I’m so glad that I did because it really broadened my horizons and the type of story that I was telling.

What do you feel will be your biggest challenge in terms of getting your script off paper and onto the screen?

To Beita With Love certainly has its fair share of challenges, including but not limited to working with three child actors, which I am very much looking forward to. I know that the casting process will be pivotal to the success of the film. I think what excites me the most is being able to make a film about things that I deeply care about. For a lot of opportunities and grants, the script being about Palestine and Palestinians means an automatic rejection, so I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to make a film that is thematically very personal while at the same time having fun with how dynamic and free the script is. My work tends to be personal, and the personal is always political, whether we are aware of it or not. And so it is important that my work is aligned with my beliefs and worldview, and I am excited to explore it with the resources given to me with this film.

Do you have any ideas and preferences on camera format, aspect ratio, crew, location, and anything else for the production?

I am excited to make this film in New York City, where the film is set. It’s a city that I’ve grown to love over the past four years of living and making films here. There’s also a sequence that is set in Palestine, which I look forward to executing and capturing. It will be very special. For the crew, I look forward to working again with a lot of my frequent collaborators, as well as making space for new and exciting collaborations.

What are your aspirations for the film once it’s completed?

There is unfortunately an underrepresentation in cinema and media when it comes to Arab/Palestinian diaspora films, and so it is important that the film gets seen as much as possible. I want to challenge audiences and invite them to think about the themes this film is tackling. I will be submitting the film to film festivals in the US and around the world, as well as organizing community screenings, especially in big cities with immigrant communities.

Do you have any advice for emerging screenwriters looking to direct their own material and/or find a producer/director for their short script?

The biggest advice I can give is to find a community of filmmakers who are passionate about the art form. Three years ago I founded Short Cuts NYC – a free filmmaking community that hosts monthly challenges and screenings – and it’s been the single best thing that happened to my filmmaking. Meeting filmmakers, actors, editors who were just as passionate about film as I was is how I got to build my network of filmmakers. That’s also how I met my producer Sue-Ming Frauenhofer, with whom I collaborated frequently on many projects, allowing us to build a strong working relationship built on trust and a creative history. To date, I have directed many shorts that I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to if I didn’t meet these incredible artists. Community is everything!

Are there any lessons you’ve learned from your previous projects that will help you going forward with making your short film?

Every film I made is a lesson learned in managing resources, building schedules, designing shots, etc. Last August I shot The Devil’s Veil, a short film written and directed by me which I crowdfunded and was my biggest film at the time. It was an incredible experience. It was a film that I directed and shot simultaneously – that was fun, but stressful. I think the production would’ve benefited more in terms of pace and scheduling had I not been the cinematographer. For To Beita, With Love, I am set on collaborating with a cinematographer and building that creative relationship. Other than that, the most consistent learning thread throughout the different sets is how important preparation is, especially when you’re operating on a small budget. For this film, that means spending as much time as I can preparing my shots, rehearsing with actors, and making sure there’s a solid plan in place before going on set.

Need funding for your short film? Learn more about our Short Film Fund here.

Abdullah Kokash is a Palestinian-Jordanian filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York, whose work is rooted in the experiences of Arabs and Palestinians in the diaspora. His film Two Moons has screened in over ten countries across Europe, featured in forums on Palestine, anti-militarism, and colonial resistance – including the Wikipedia for Peace summit in Switzerland and the No More War festival in Bulgaria.