About the film

A UCLA MFA Thesis film, with the support of the Palestinian community of Southern California, this adventure short “Don’t Be Long, Little Bird” unites American-born teen, Rima the Lost One (Banna Bazzarie) with her great-grandmother, also named Rima (Muna Basha), on a time-travel journey to 1930s Palestine. After clashing with her modern-ish Mom on vacation, Rima the Lost One finds herself warped through a portal that takes her to the present of her ancestors. Rima the Lost One must navigate her ancestral homeland, a place she’s never known. She desperately looks for a way home, aka the present, the place she originally desired to escape from.

Written and directed by Reem Jubran, a recent MFA graduate from UCLA in Directing and winner of the Gotham Awards Student Showcase sponsored by Focus Features. “Don’t Be Long, Little Bird” is produced by Dina Saba, Nadeen Jubran, Fadi Saba and Ahmad Cory Jubran, and features music by the all-female Palestinian A capella group, Istiwanat.

The film features first-time actor Banna Bazzarie and Palestinian stars Muna Basha and Clara Khoury.