Review: HBO's 'Oslo' is a stirring take on the events that led to the Oslo Accords


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

It is difficult to watch Oslo without feeling doleful throughout. The film, which will premiere on HBO Max in the US on Saturday, recounts the back-channel negotiations between the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Israel that led to the signing of the Oslo I Accord in September 1993.

It was adapted from the Tony Award-winning play by J T Rogers, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, and was directed by The King and I Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, who directed the Broadway production of Oslo.

Oslo is being released on the heels of one of the most violent flare-ups of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in recent years.

The events in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood and the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, which left more than 200 dead and almost 2,000 injured, have been a grim reminder that the plight of the Palestinians has only exacerbated in the years since the Oslo Accords were signed.

'Luther' star Ruth Wilson as Mona Juul, one of the Norwegian diplomats who instigated the Oslo peace talks. HBO
'Luther' star Ruth Wilson as Mona Juul, one of the Norwegian diplomats who instigated the Oslo peace talks. HBO

As the film traces the tremulous advancements of the Oslo negotiations, you'll find it near impossible to celebrate its minute victories. Every successful meeting, handshake or establishment of common ground is thwarted with the sad realisation that the accords did not bring about the peace the political characters were hoping for.

You don’t need to dive into history books to know why the Oslo Accords were a failure. The persistent and illegal expansion of Israeli settlements into the West Bank and other Palestinian territories are ample proof.

Even now, after a shaky ceasefire has been implemented, Gazans are struggling to find a semblance of a normal life in the landscape of ruin left in the wake of the Israeli airstrikes. Many are also unable to find proper medical care in Gaza, which has been under an active blockade since 2007 after Hamas took control.

The Oslo Accords were a divisive topic from the beginning. Several Arab and Palestinian intellectuals recognised the agreement's imbalance immediately. Edward Said, a Palestinian-American academic, in his October 1993 article The Morning After, wrote: "Let us call the agreement by its real name: an instrument of Palestinian surrender, a Palestinian Versailles.

“What emerges from such scrutiny is a deal that is more flawed and, for most of the Palestinian people, more unfavourably weighted than many had first supposed.”

The accords also had its detractors in Israel. Many Israelis saw the agreement as a threat to the country’s security and it was an extremist who opposed the accords’ terms that assassinated Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel, in 1995. Five years later, negotiations at the Camp David summit failed and the second Intifada broke out.

The film's Arab cast Waleed Zuaiter and Salim Dau offer a layered and enduring performance as Hassan Asfour and Ahmed Qurie. HBO
The film's Arab cast Waleed Zuaiter and Salim Dau offer a layered and enduring performance as Hassan Asfour and Ahmed Qurie. HBO

Oslo briefly touches upon some of these events in its final few minutes. As such, it offers no illusions that the accords were a success. Fortunately, the film is not about the accords. If it were, it would have been an elegy.

Rather, it is about the risks those involved took to try and open a channel of communication between the conflicting countries. It does not champion the accords but rather the good will of its instigators to try and reach an amicable end to the conflict. In that, it excels – albeit with some questionable directorial choices.

Fortunately, the film is not about the accords. If it were, it would have been an elegy

Oslo's strongest aspect is its cast. Luther star Ruth Wilson and Sherlock actor Andrew Scott give arresting performances as Mona Juul and Terje Rod-Larsen, the Norwegian diplomats who initiated the talks between the PLO and Israel. Gaza Mon Amour actor Salim Dau offers a layered and enduring portrayal of Ahmed Qurie, finance minister of the PLO. Doval'e Glickman takes over the role of one of the accords' main architects, Professor Yair Hirschfeld, with charm. Unorthodox star Jeff Wilbusch, too, is incredible in his role as Israeli negotiator Uri Sarvir and Rambo III actor Sasson Gabay's depiction of Shimon Perez is unforgettable.

But it is Waleed Zuaiter who looms from this stellar throng, mostly due to the delicate and thoughtful way in which he portrays Hassan Asfour, official liaison of the PLO.

In the original play, the character of Asfour often risked coming across as a caricature of the Palestinian rage and sorrow, with one-liners that were often delivered with comic effect. Zuaiter expertly lifts the role from that pitfall, depicting a multi-faceted Asfour in a performance that sets a new standard for the character.

'Sherlock' star Andrew Scott stars as Terje Rod-Larsen, one of the Norwegian diplomats who instigated the Oslo peace talks. HBO
'Sherlock' star Andrew Scott stars as Terje Rod-Larsen, one of the Norwegian diplomats who instigated the Oslo peace talks. HBO

Oslo's cinematography, too, is excellent. With tableaux-like framings, each scene is a delight. Archival footage of the first intifada has also been spliced into the film, underscoring the daily tragedies brought about by the conflict then and now.

However, one eyebrow-raising decision was using a jaundiced yellow filter in scenes taking place in Jerusalem. The filter is infamously used in Hollywood when showing scenes taking place in warm climates, particularly Mexico and the Middle East. The visual tint is not only off-putting and drains a scene of colour but also gives a muddied impression of the country it depicts.

'Unorthodox' star Jeff Wilbusch stars as Israeli negotiator Uri Sarvir. HBO
'Unorthodox' star Jeff Wilbusch stars as Israeli negotiator Uri Sarvir. HBO

A memorable feature of the film is its score, written by Fargo composer Jeff Russo and Warrior composer Zoe Keating. With a restrained string section and capering piano melodies, the music is stirring and will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.

All in all, the film is an important watch. It might be a romanticised take on the events that led up to the signing of the accords but the way in which it builds and peels suspense, all while paying tribute to those who took the risks to open a door to peace, makes it one of the year's most impressive offerings.

At the time of publishing, 'Oslo' has no confirmed release date in the UAE

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Company%20Profile
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The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 575bhp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: Dh554,000

On sale: now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
While you're here
The biog:

From: Wimbledon, London, UK

Education: Medical doctor

Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures 

Favourite animals: All of them 

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

The Bio

Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”

Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”

Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”

Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Racecard
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
If you go

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.

The car

Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.

Parks and accommodation

For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

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The%20Secret%20Kingdom%20
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Company%20profile
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