Diana Al Halabi

Two drawings accompany the film, reflecting on a political expression the artist first encountered in Arabic in the context of hunger strikes. This term مرحلة عض الأصابع describes the extreme pain endured by a hunger striker as they attempt to inflict political pressure on the state perpetrating their rights, particularly within the international community. The phrase “the stage of biting fingers” captures a moment of intense tension between two opposing entities, where one endures significant suffering while resisting, and the other is pushed to its limits. It symbolizes a high-stakes standoff marked by asymmetrical pain, as one side ultimately capitulates just before the other.