Rashid Masharawi takes us on a special journey across the Palestinian port city of Jaffa, where his father was forced to leave in the 1948 exodus. Life in this jewel of the Mediterranean is brought to life by the inventive use of photographs, oral testimony and rich sound design in this simple and beautiful documentary. Viewers are taken on an absorbing stroll through the streets of Jaffa as remembered by Taher Al-Qalyubi, who captured his memories of his beloved city on VHS tape. Although, Taher died six month before Masharawi “met” him, there is a deep connection to this man who shares the same history has his father and grandfather.

Through his narration, Marshawi’s memories of the city brings to life the waves on Jaffa’s shore, the sounds of its streets, and the sweetness of its inhabitants and its spirit. Recovery is a splendid cinematic experience that attempts to bridge the border between time and space on a tour of stories and photos of Jaffa from 1930 to 1948.

This event is in partnership with The University of Toronto’s Hearing Palestine, Cinema Studies, Urban Studies, and Centre for the Study of the United States.