Larisa Sansour's short film, titled 'In Vitro', is staged in the town of Bethlehem decades after an eco-disaster. The dying founder of a subterranean orchard is engaged in a dialogue with her young successor, who is born underground and has never seen the town she's destined to replant and repopulate. Inherited trauma, exile and collective memory are central themes.
The streets of Bethlehem getting filled with a black oily substance, make for a great opening shot, what follows then is a split-screen conversation between two scientists, reminiscing on what used to be. Terrific cinematography go hand in hand with the well written screenplay, which discusses religion, science and natural disasters. Definitely worth checking out if you like post-apocalyptic content with a pinch of existential crisis.
