Khaled Sanjar’s ‘The Village Fool’ Returns With Part Five

Scorching sunshine sets the scene in the fifth installment of Khaled Sanjar’s “The Village Fool,” which opens with Abu Jaber sitting outside his home.

Seated on the raised platform in front of the house, Abu Jaber rests one leg over the other. He holds a hand fan, moving the air in an effort to ease the heat.

Three men from the village sit beside him, laughing as he talks. Their presence turns the spot outside his home into a small gathering, with Abu Jaber at its centre.

The brief opening draws its atmosphere from ordinary details: the harsh sun, the movement of the fan and the laughter of neighbours. It introduces the scene without yet revealing the subject of Abu Jaber’s conversation.