Bye Bye Tiberias follows Hiam Abbass, Emmy-nominated for "Succession," as she returns to her native Palestinian village with her filmmaker daughter, Lina Soualem. At the age of twenty, Hiam left her home in Palestine to chase her acting dreams in Europe, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and seven sisters. Now, thirty years later, Lina delves into her mother's past, questioning the choices that led to her exile and the influence of the strong women in their family.
Set against the backdrop of the Palestinian village where Hiam was born and enriched with family footage from the nineties and historical archives, the documentary weaves together the stories of four generations of Palestinian women. Despite the challenges of exile, dispossession, and heartbreak, these women maintain their legacy through their unbreakable bonds.
Premiering at Venice and winning the Grierson Award at the BFI London Film Festival, Bye Bye Tiberias has garnered critical acclaim for its intimate portrayal of Arab women's lives. Unlike typical Palestinian narratives, the film focuses on a family displaced within modern-day Israel after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, highlighting their unique experiences and cultural resilience. Through a heartfelt exploration of family, heritage, and separation, Lina Soualem's documentary celebrates the strength and resilience of women in the face of adversity.
Bye Bye Tiberias plays out strangely. It’s kind of a genealogy in motion as opposed to a traditional documentary. Some viewers will find this experimentation exhilarating while others will be confused or even bored. The documentary is a mixed bag in that sense: At times it feels like it lacks direction, but this gives it some stunning realism at other times. In many ways, Bye Bye Tiberias suffers from a very dry format. Despite these issues, the documentary is an interesting experiment with many stories that need to be told. For this reason, those running university library connections should consider this film more highly. Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Bye Bye Tiberias belongs on the women’s studies, Middle Eastern studies, and documentary film shelves—specifically under Palestinian cinema or diaspora narratives. This intimate, personal film explores themes of motherhood, memory, identity, and displacement through the lens of a Palestinian woman returning to her roots. It resonates strongly with patrons seeking feminist perspectives, personal documentaries, and cultural histories, making it relevant to viewers interested in both global women’s experiences and the political complexities of Palestinian identity.
What kind of film series could use this title?
Bye Bye Tiberias would be a powerful addition to a film series focused on women’s voices in global cinema or female filmmakers reclaiming history through personal narratives. It would also fit well in a Middle Eastern documentary series or a diaspora journeys theme—especially films that intertwine personal memory with broader cultural or political histories. Its poetic tone and intergenerational storytelling make it ideal for a series exploring mother-daughter relationships, feminist storytelling, or the reclamation of home and heritage.