Palestinian Movie Watch
I am new to the world of Palestinian documentary movies, mainly because I was never much of a movie person. Lately though, we have been getting the chance to watch many such productions, which have been making me think about alternative ways of spreading awareness about the Palestinian case. The diversity of the information that one can represent on audio-visual platforms is amazing. Countless production methods can be equipped and many ideas can be given out realistically and unrealistically. A director also has the freedom to choose his method of output, and how he wants his audience to feel by choosing how he sends out his message.
It is that last particular point, how a director chooses how to send his message, which has been making me think. The three documentaries we watched were very different in that regards.
We watched Hani Abu Assad’s “Ford Transit” sometime during the beginning of the month at Darat Al-Funun. The story follows young bus driver Rajai around as he brings different people to their destinations in Jerusalem and Ramallah, dodging road blocks, taking risky detours on dirt roads and stopping to pick up counterfeit CDs that he sells on to earn some extra cash. His passengers are diverse, making their meeting point all the more interesting; the mother of a female suicide bomber, French women’s rights activists, former Palestinian politician Hanan Ashrawi, and Israeli filmmaker BZ Goldberg. The passengers complain about the wives, make jokes about Bush, loudly fight over their bad days, putting in their own insightful, sarcastic, frustrated, and angry conversations and encounters into the documentary.
What I really liked about “Ford Transit” was how humorous it was. Abu Assad successfully managed to give a colorful mosaic of the Palestinian case through public transport, the vehicle becoming a metaphor for attempts to find a way through the chaos of occupation and resistance, all the while giving some insights and avoiding playing the “victim card”. The soundtrack was also brilliant. I think we rated this movie an 8/10 at the time we watched it.
The second movie we watched was “Sabra and Chatila: The Past Continues” which was screened at Mohtaraf Al-Remal, with its director Lebanese Hicham Jurdi as a guest. The movie follows the desolate refugee-camp lives of the survivors of the 1982 Chatila massacre. Through personal interviews, it clearly portrays the social, emotional, and physical havoc wrecked on the lives of these Palestinians, who still suffer from the consequences of the massacre 20 years on.
My partner and I did not like this movie much. The characters the director chose to interview were both shallow and too simple, perfect players for the “evermore victims” card. Furthermore, Jurdi’s plot was merely focusing on how the Palestinians of Chatila are hopeless victims of circumstances, who do not have any courage or strength to face all the abusive action, and how only fate makes them alive. Regardless of the amount of truth in Jurdi’s stance, I really dislike this depreciation of the Palestinian identity into the choice of living as victims, in the helpless victim mentality. The movie was also not very well directed, and it dragged towards the end. We gave it a 3 out of 10.
Ironically, the audience was mainly made up of limbless Iraqis who were in Amman for the week to undergo medical procedures after sustaining severe injuries in Iraq. The women, men, and children, who all seemed to be in very desolate states, staring blankly at everything but the movie, were invited to the screening. As I watched the movie that was telling the on going tragedies of life 20 years after the massacre, I couldn’t help but feel very horrible for the Iraqis, who are currently living through a constant massacre. Zay kan2eno na2eshom more pain bi 7ayat-hom.
Last night, we watched our last Palestinian movie for July, “Palestine Blues” at Makan by Palestinian-American director Nida Sinnokrot. This documentary was the only one of the three with a personal touch, where Sinnokrot makes me feel his perspective before he tells the facts. I like that. He follows the construction of a 400-mile barrier began in the Occupied West Bank, whose form changes along the route, and near large cities it is a concrete wall twice as high as the Berlin Wall. Instead of focusing on the Wall as an object, Palestine Blues examines the grassroots resistance movement that has sprung up against it.
In contrast to “Sabra and Chatila: The Past Continues”, “Palestine Blues” is about choosing to stand up and fight, take action, and take control of our lives. It was also very realistic, the characters crawl right into your heart, close enough to remind you of your own uncles, grandmothers, aunts, and neighbors. It portrayed Palestinians like I know them, people like my aunts and cousins, rather than suicide bombers and massacre victims, and I the grounded approach is a fresh breeze. We gave it an 8 out of 10, because it sort of dragged towards the end and because the editing was not very professional. Otherwise, it is definitely my favorite out of the three, although Hani Abu Asaad is the better director.
Have you watched any of these movies?
Wassim
July 30, 2007 @ 3:23 pm
No.
Most of the palestinian movies ar talking about the pals in lebanon camps or in westbank, there are alot of palestinians away from the spot. for example the pals in iraq NOW, those ppl who are living in hell and nobody cares. and maybe hell is much better than iraq now. if we want to talk about making movies for palestinians pain and problems, maybe we need thousands of movies, and it’s not enough.
Firas
July 30, 2007 @ 4:17 pm
I prefer watching Palestinian movies, rather documentaries.
Anyways, if you are into documentaries, check out Mai Al Masri’s work. I am not sure where you can get her DVDs in Jordan since she knows my mom and that’s how we get them. Maybe you could try a DVD store,Abd Hameed Shooman, or some place.
Look for “Frontiers of Dreams and Fears-Ahlam Al Manfa” in particular.
I’m sure you’ll know better where to get it
Hareega
July 30, 2007 @ 9:45 pm
watch Abu As3ad’s Paradise Now, it was nominated for an oscar. Israel attacked the set of the movie while shooting it
Catholic Sunni Shia
July 31, 2007 @ 12:16 am
Oh yes, please post about all the Palestinian documentaries you watch. I’ve been obsessed with Palestinian and Iraqi documentaries for a few months now. You should watch:
Frontiers of Dreams and Fears / Children of Shatila
Catholic Sunni Shia
July 31, 2007 @ 12:21 am
Paradise Now was excellent and the main actor dude in it is sooooooooo cute.
G.
July 31, 2007 @ 12:06 pm
Here are some other Arab movies from Israel:
Al Jisr - Director: Ebtisam Marana
It focuses the stubborn struggle of a group of young, single Arab women, trying to lead the village of Jisr al Zarqa to a better place.Hampered by their own traditions, family hierarchy, and the simple fact of being women, they battle against the forces that threaten to overwhelm them.
Three Times Divorced -Director: Ebtisam Marana
An Arab woman, decides to divorce her abusive husband. By doing this, she is sentencing herself to a cruel fate. From this moment on, she no longer has custody of her children.
Katia
July 31, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
I was really into Arab documentaries in general a while ago, until they really started to get on my nerves for the exact same reason that you mentioned: the victim mentality. I find it so despicable! I’ll see if I can get my hands on any of the ones you mentioned.
Check out Michel Khleifi’s work, both documentaries and movies.
Ohoud
July 31, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Those are nice. The one that I loved was “Rana’s wedding”, thats amazing:)
Another very old one is “Naji al Ali”. I watched that years back when I was a child and I still have vivid sections in the movie playing in my head.
Finally, There’s one about Lebanons Sabra al Shatela done by Robert fisk, I forgot its name though:(
p.s: trying to join the crowd in giving you advice what to watch.lol!
Catholic Sunni Shia
July 31, 2007 @ 8:02 pm
Oh yeah, the Robert Fisk S & S documentary is really good, it’s called “Breaking the Silence.”
Rana’s Wedding was also great but why is it that so many good Arab movies have to do with weddings?
Mike
July 31, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
Well you guys if you are into movies about Palestinian here is a small list:
1. Checkpoint
2. Death in Gaza
3. Paradise Now (Mentioned Before)
4. 6 Days in June
5. Promises
6. West Bank Story (Musical)
7. Munich (By Steven Spielberg)
these can be found on torrent sites if you want to download them.
Catholic Sunni Shia
July 31, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
“I was really into Arab documentaries in general a while ago, until they really started to get on my nerves for the exact same reason that you mentioned: the victim mentality. I find it so despicable! I’ll see if I can get my hands on any of the ones you mentioned. ”
But documentaries, for the most part are supposed to document an event… And the reason why Palestinians appear as victims in so many documentaries is because they are… victims.
duniazad
August 1, 2007 @ 1:18 am
Has Mai El-masri has done a follow up on frontiers of dreams and fears? I saw a clip on aljazeera’s Arab Eyes with the same girls but older, it might be just taped interviews for the episode though.
Katia
August 1, 2007 @ 11:12 am
To Catholic Sunni Shia:
I forgot to mention that it was “documentaries AND movies”, but even putting this aside: being a victim and being perceived as one is not the same as acting like one. Furthermore, I didn’t say “Palestinian”, I said “Arab”, exactly because it’s obvious that Arabs in general have been using and abusing this card, often in the name of Palestinians, though not always. The only thing a “poor us mentality” does for anybody - regardless of nationality - is dig a deep whole to hide in without having to confront one’s own demons. It’s simply not constructive.
Catholic Sunni Shia
August 1, 2007 @ 10:55 pm
Maybe so Katia, but the “poor me-everybody hates me” mentality certainly seemed to work for Jews regarding support of Israel. I’m not saying that I enjoy or relish the “poor me” mentality , I’m just saying…
I don’t know what I am saying…
:(
Katia
August 3, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
I don’t know what I am saying…
:(
–> CSS, don’t worry about it. It’s complicated ;-)
Mazen
September 23, 2007 @ 9:44 pm
I’m delighted to have found this site. I’m a Palestinian in the Diaspora, and feel your concerns and aspirations.
I’ve never lived or been to the Holy Land, but try to learn more about the current issues in that part of the world.
I came across a list of documentaries and movies covering various issues and attended many seminars and presentations including two by Robert Fisk himself.
May I recommend the following movies and documentaries. Look them up at your local libraries, university libraries, a video stores, or through a Torrent site:
1. Dispatches: The Killing Zone - by channel 4 in London UK
2. Occupation 101
3. Snow White & The Ambassador
4. Reel Bad Arabs - by Jack Shaheen
5. Women In Struggle
6. Jenin Jenin
7. Palestine Trilogy
8. Route 181
9. Matzpen
10. Palestine Is Still The Issue
11. Wall
12. Iron Wall
13. Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid - by former US President Jimmy Carter (audio book) (CBC TV interview)
14. Imperial Geography: Palestine & Israel - by David Barsamian
15. The Big Picture: Hot House - by Avi Lewis (CBC News)
16. Promises: The Children of Israel & Palestine
17. Arna’s Children
18. Wedding In Galilee
19. The Syrian Bride
I have more but will need time to look for them among my DVDs and CDs
Check also for
- The Battle of Algiers (a true story about the Algerian war of independece)
- Souha (about Souha Bechara at Al-Khiyam Prison Camp in South Lebanon)
Mike Ely Chris B. Dumlao
December 5, 2007 @ 8:14 am
this paqge is good.
Mazen
March 13, 2008 @ 6:33 am
Salamat again
I have the following to share with you in addition to the previous above-mentioned list of movies/documentaries.
The following are online, and downloadable. If you are using the latest release of Real Player (free copy or basic), it has a recording/downloading feature.
Those sites are the following:
- http://www.lastingnetworks.com/alex/
- http://www.alternatefocus.org/Screeningroom.html
- http://www.documentary-film.net/
- http://freedocumentaries.org/index.php
- http://www.palestinevideos.com/
- http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/pastprograms.html
- Bab El-Shams movie
is found at http://www.algeria.com/forums/literature-film-litterature-cinema/15443-story-palestine-bab-el-shams.html
- http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/
I watched the other day, “Goal Dreams”, and “War of Lebanon” (15 parts). The first was a movie presentation, while the second I was able to download from a Torrent site. Both are worth every second second.
I do have more but it’s getting late at night and I have to get some rest.
I hope you’ll find this information useful.
Enjoy
Mazen - Toronto
Shorouk
March 14, 2008 @ 11:28 am
I love Nida Sinnokrot’s work! It touches a person almost immediately!
There’s this other work for him, not a documentary but a kind of installation called “Rubber-coated bullets”
Check it out! One of those very few out-of-the-box pieces! =)
Mazen
May 19, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
Check this link for documentaries:
http://www.palestineremembered.com/SiteVideos.html
Mazen - Toronto