War and terrorism always cost innocent lives; more than one can even imagine. Men, women, children, entire families, and generations are displaced or lost to the sands of time because of war. People have to flee their homes to save their lives and their cultures. A war does not only use up ammunition; it also depletes the intangible assets of a place, like the communities living there, the history, the culture, and the people. History is witness to this claim. In these times, we see news about the refugee crisis happening in the world, and it breaks one’s heart to see millions suffer. But that is for the present; even in earlier times, such crises have happened that have led to the displacement of millions. In countries like Iran, Iraq, Syria, etc., people have had to run at the drop of a hat to save themselves from the scourge of war. One such story is of a young girl from Palestine who goes through a war that eats up her entire village. Netflix’s latest film on the conflict in Palestine, “Farha,” tells the story of the aftereffects of war through the eyes of a young girl.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?
“Farha” is the tale of a teenage girl named Farha who lives with her father in a small village settlement. Her father is the mayor of the town. The story is set in 1947–1948 when Palestine was engulfed in the Nakba, or Palestinian Catastrophe, which led to the displacement of millions of Palestinians. Farha, her father, Abu Farha, and the townsfolk are living in harmony but are on constant vigil because of the Israeli military occupation. They are under the constant threat of losing their lives. Farha is a strong-headed girl. Unlike other girls of her age who are getting married at the tender ages of thirteen and fourteen, Farha wants to go to the city to study. She wants to get educated so that she can educate others who are not fortunate enough to go to school. She often urges her father to enroll her in a school in the city. Farha’s friend Farida lives in the city with her family. Farida often visits the village with her family. The book that Farida gifted to Farha is one of her prized possessions.
One day eventually, Farha’s father gives her the admission receipt securing Farha’s admission to the school. Farha is overjoyed at that. She goes to sleep that night but wakes up to see her father repairing the walls of their home. She is just talking to her father when they hear bombing noises. Her father brings out the guns and other weapons. He urges Farida’s father to take Farha away with him to the city, but Farha rejects the idea. She decides to stay with her father. He hides Farha in the kitchen storage and forbids her from leaving the storage. Farha spends day after day in storage, waiting for her father to come back, but to no avail. She keeps on hearing people’s blood-curling screams, bombings, and gunfire, but she is helpless. She does not have enough food, resources, or even water to sustain herself. But she somehow manages. One day she hears a family enter her house. The woman is pregnant, and her husband helps her deliver the baby. The baby born is a boy. The couple also had two young daughters. When they hear the military personnel approaching, the man, whose name is revealed to be Saleh, hides his wife and children. But unfortunately, they were also found. The family is killed in an encounter, and the newborn baby is left to die in the open. Farha attempts to open the door to the storage, but the door is stuck. She hears the baby’s cries for some days until it eventually stops, signaling its death. Farha finds a gun in the bundles of grain and shoots a few rounds at the door. She finally manages to get out and finds the village empty. Wisps of smoke billow from every corner, and it is a clear sign that there is no living soul present around. She goes to the small stream nearby and cleans herself. She eats a few figs, bathes, and then walks off in the direction leading away from her town.
‘Farha’ Ending Explained – What Happens To Farha And Her Father?
At the end of “Farha,” we see that no one in the town is alive. With the remaining available resources, she manages to get herself in order. She finally starts walking outside of her town, signaling a new but tumultuous start to her life after the war. Farha’s father had left to fight against the military, but Farha never heard from him after he left. In the ending credits of the movie, the makers mention that in real life, it is assumed that her father must have passed away fighting against the military, so one can only assume that must have been the case. The makers also reveal that Farha sought refuge in Syria after her town was destroyed.
The movie “Farha” is based on the real-life story of Radiyyeh, who shared the story of her struggle during the Catastrophe to keep alive a tale of anguish, anger, agony, and sadness, which would have been easily written off by those in power. Farha’s friend Farida and her family go to the city before the events intensify in their town. All Farha is left with is a small, torn page from the book that Farida gifted her. Farha and the viewers of the film are unaware of Farida and her family’s fate. Perhaps they escaped well in time to the safe limits, or perhaps a bomb got their car on their way to the city. The fate of the townsfolk is also a blur; those who managed to save their lives were still away from their homes and in a foreign land. Millions were unfortunate, like that unborn baby who had to lose their lives on the cusp of vital changes in their lives. Many lives were lost before they could see the first ray of the sun. War takes a toll on not only the tangible but also the intangible properties. The aftereffects of the war on human lives reverberate through the winds of time and leave a lasting, and oftentimes scarring, mark on those affected by it. The Palestinian Catastrophe was one of the most chilling events in history and led to drastic changes in the geography as well as the history of Palestine. Wars are always lessons for humanity as to what not to do in order to maintain peace and harmony domestically and globally. “Farha” is a good testament to this claim, and it also serves as a reminder of the countless horrors faced by the people.
“Farha” is a 2021 movie starring Karem Taher in the lead. It is directed by Darin J. Sallam.
