Synopsis
 

Amid the intense focus on Israel's assault on Gaza, "Bye Bye Tiberias" offers a different perspective on the Palestinian experience. The film, a eulogy and love letter, explores Palestinian heritage through four generations of women in Lina Soualem's family: great-grandmother Um Ali, grandmother Nemat, mother Hiam, and Lina herself. It emphasizes personal relationships with their homeland rather than political context.

Hiam's reflections highlight the unique bond with a land partially lost during the 1948 Nakba, when her family was displaced and resettled in Lower Galilee, eventually gaining Israeli citizenship. Throughout the film, Hiam points out borders with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, underscoring the isolation caused by these boundaries.

Israeli military presence is a constant backdrop, depicted through archival footage and family recordings. Ironically, Hiam's departure from Tiberias enabled her to obtain a French passport, allowing her to cross borders imposed by Israel. A poignant scene captures Hiam's reunion with her aunt Hosnia in a Syrian refugee camp, filled with emotional longing for lost family.

Lina's film documents the journeys of her family, creating a symbolic return to their homeland. Each captured image serves as an archive, envisioning a utopian space where different generations and places coexist, bridging the gaps created by exile.