"Bakri's Salim uses a puppet on each hand to play-act a conversation between two characters, encouraging his students to dream broadly and praising their wild suggestions for where reading can take them."
"Salim teaches his students hope but also, to a very real degree, a lie. Bakri's conflicted face maps that contradiction: He smiles as he chats with his young son, but there's a flintiness in his gaze."
"The Bakri name is legendary in Palestinian theater and cinema, their version of the Skarsgårds. Saleh has carved out a unique place for himself as an avatar for restrained, tortured, and resilient Arab male dignity."
Saleh Bakri delivers powerful performances that resonate emotionally, particularly in Cherien Dabis's film All That's Left of You. His character, Salim, embodies the struggle between hope and harsh reality, teaching children about the wonders of reading while navigating a life filled with military barriers in the West Bank. The Bakri family has a storied legacy in Palestinian cinema, with Saleh establishing himself as a symbol of dignity and resilience. His nuanced portrayal captures the contradictions of joy and fear in everyday life.
Read at Vulture
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