Mohammad (Mohammad Bakri) is a teacher who lives in Palestine with his wife Samiah (Areen Omari) and their five children. When shooting takes place near their house, she wants to leave. "Being a refugee is not being," he says in response. But his patience and courage are tested when some Israeli soldiers burst into their home to set up an observation post. Since Mohammad refuses to leave, the family is told the rules: they must stay on the ground floor, which consists of a bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room where they are to sleep. The soldiers take over the upper floor, and no one else is allowed to enter this area. Commander Ofer (Lior Miller) is very firm with the men under his command and makes it clear that he doesn't trust any Palestinian.
The tension within Mohammad's family is fierce. His wife cannot believe that he is risking the safety of their children just for a principle out a book. Mariam (Hend Ayoub), the eldest daughter who has told her father that she is not interested in studying in Germany, secretly sneaks upstairs, hides in a closet and eavesdrops on the Israeli soldiers, including a flute player and two young men who care more about watching sports on TV than they do about their guard duty.
Jamal (Marco Alsaying), the oldest son, diligently goes out every day and rebuilds a greenhouse which the soldiers take great pleasure in destroying in the middle of the night. When his patience runs out, he comes up with a secret act of rebellion. Another son tries to convince his father to let him stay with a friend, but he is not allowed to do so. Family solidarity is important to Mohammad. So is his belief that violence and hatred do nothing except make matters worse. But this resolve nearly breaks when his youngest daughter gets locked out of the living room one night and must spend the evening crouched on the floor outside in fear.
In his first feature film, Italian documentary filmmaker Saverio Costanzo has created a suspenseful drama that presents a scary portrait of the humiliation, inconvenience, danger, and psychological horrors of having one's home occupied by enemy soldiers. Mohammad Bakri gives a memorable performance as the principled Muslim whose faith and ethical strength is tested by this ordeal.
