Friday, January 23, 2015

Documenting the Palestinian struggle: 4 films about Palestine

Dear friends,
as you know there have been many documentaries and films made about Palestine. Below are four which I think are amongst some of the "must see" documentaries on Palestine. 

There are of course many more, including more recent ones.  I will post up more, if they are available on line, over the course of 2015.

in solidarity, Kim

**

THE IRON WALL
approx 57 minutes.
A film by Mohemmed Alatar (2006)

Although this is now almost a decade old, I think it is one of the best "primers" which explains both the origins of the conflict in Palestine, the role of Zionist colonies and their impact on the Palestinian people. 


 
BIL'IN HABITI  
approx 86 minutes A film by Shai Carmeli-Pollack (2006)  

Bil'in Habibti looks at the Palestinian-Israeli joint struggle against Israel's occupation and apartheid policies. Focusing on the struggle of the village of Bil'in in the Occupied West Bank, activist and film maker Shai Carmeli-Pollack documents not only the grass roots Palestinian struggle taking place but also the interaction between the people of Bil'in and the Israelis who come to join their struggle.
 
THE HEART OF JENIN 
approx 90 minutes. A film by Leon Geller and Marcus Vetter (2008)  

In 2005, Ahmed Khatib, a young Palestinian boy was murdered by Israeli soldiers when Israeli Occupation Forces invaded Jenin.  In an amazing and generous gesture, Ahmed's family decided to donate their son's organs to children in need. Ahmed's organs went to Palestinian and Jewish children in Israel. The film documents, Ismail Khatib's journey to meet with some of the children who received his son's organs. The Khatib family's act of kindness forces at least one Israeli Zionist family to step outside of their comfort zone, challenging (but not overcoming) their racism and prejudices about Palestinians.

The Land Speaks Arabic 
approx 61 minutes A film by Maryse Gargour (2009)  

The Land Speaks Arabic documents the founding of the Zionist movement, the Zionist concept of "transfer" (ethnic cleansing) and the expulsion of the Palestinians during the Nakba.  The film weaves archival material such as photographs, news reels and other material with the testimonies of Palestinian refugees who experience the Nakba.

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