In Vitro

Set in the aftermath of an eco-disaster. A vast bunker under the biblical town of Bethlehem has been converted into an enormous orchard. Using heirloom seeds collected in the final days before the disaster, a group of scientists are preparing to replant the soil above.

In the hospital wing of the underground compound, the orchard’s ailing founder, 70-year-old Alia, is lying on her deathbed, as 30-year-old Alia, Dunia’s successor, comes to visit her. Alia is born underground and has never seen the town she’s destined to rebuild.

The talk between the two scientists soon evolve into an intimate dialogue about memory, exile and nostalgia. Central to their discussion is the intricate relationship between past, present and future, with the Bethlehem setting providing a narratively, politically and symbolically charged backdrop.

“Inherited trauma, exile and collective memory are central themes.”– LARISSA SANSOUR, 2019

About Larissa Sansour

Larissa Sansour works mainly with film, and also produces installations, photos and sculptures. Central to her work is the dialectics between myth and historical narrative. Born in East Jerusalem, Palestine, her recent work use science fiction to address social and political issues, dealing with memory, inherited traumas, power structures and nation states.

Sansour is currently shortlisted for the Jarman award. Her work is shown in film festivals and museums worldwide. She has shown her work at Tate Modern, MoMA, Centre Pompidou and the Istanbul Biennial. In 2019, Sansour represented Denmark at the 58thVenice Biennale. Her most recent shows include Copenhagen Contemporary in Denmark and EMST in Greece. Heirloom is currently showing at Bildmuseet in Sweden.