logo
Palestinian films to open your eyes

Palestinian films to open your eyes

Express Tribune28-01-2025

SLOUGH, ENGLAND:
With all the horror still unfolding in Gaza despite news of a ceasefire, there is only so much of a picture that mere newsprint can paint. Turn that picture over to the consummate hands of a filmmaker, however, and you will watch that very picture spin into a haunting true-to-life story you are unlikely to forget in a hurry.
The beauty of film
Conjuring up a gamut of emotions by piercing an arrow to the very humanity of the brutality shrouding the region – the loss of life, assault on dignity, and breakup of families – these Palestinian-centric films will take you to a place where no photographs, headlines, or social media posts can ever hope to. As a mark of the grit that went into bringing them to fruition, they have been in the spotlight at film festivals and gained traction wherever awards are disseminated.
Some of these films may not yet have a distributor, but as Palestinian-American director Cherien Dabis pointed out at the Sundance Film Festival, their stories deserve to be told. They are not for the faint of heart, but such films are mandatory watching for whoever wants to gain a deeper understanding of the deep-rooted effects of displaced Palestinian identity. Space does not permit paying homage to them all, so join us as we take a closer look at a select few of the recent projects that understood their assignment, totally and completely.
'All That's Left Of You'
One of two Palestinian offerings to premiere at this year's Sundance festival, this Dabis directorial tells the haunting tale of three generations of a family expelled from coastal Jaffa in 1948 and sent to the West Bank. Told in a non-linear fashion, this intimate and epic film zig-zags chronologically, weaving in and out from 1948 to the present day.
Not only does Dabis wear the director's cap, she also stars as a mother forced to make a decision no mother should make when her son is wounded in the 1988 uprising. Many of the stories are based on the traumas Dabis and her family personally faced. As per AFP, one harrowing scene shows a father being is humiliated at gunpoint by Israeli soldiers in front of his young child, creating a father-son rift that will never heal. The fact that it is all rooted in reality makes the pain on the screen ever more acute.
"I saw my dad humiliated at borders and checkpoints," Dabis told AFP, having frequented the West Bank as a child. "He confronted the soldiers, and they started screaming at him, and I was convinced they were going to kill him."
The film does not yet have a theatrical distributor, but whenever it does, Dabis' story promises to be one worth carving out the time for.
'No Other Land'
Having earned an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature, No Other Land paints the stark picture of the unlikely alliance between a Palestinian activist on the West Bank and an Israeli journalist. Like others in the land he calls home, Basel Adra, aforementioned activist (and lawyer, journalist, and filmmaker), has been fighting the mass expulsion of his people by Israeli occupation ever since childhood. Through Basel's eyes, we see the inevitable eradication of the villages he has known all his life, demolished gradually by Israeli forces.
As everyone in the village is driven further and further away from home, Basel strikes up the unlikeliest of friendships with Yuval (said Israeli journalist), who goes out of his way to support Basel himself. But with Basel enduring a life under military occupation and Yuval being able to move freely, liberated of any restrictions, can this strange new alliance withstand political stand-offs?
Driving home the very human aspect of life under occupation, No Other Land is a film created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective of four young activists. It is the celluloid equivalent of creative resistance, seeking long-delayed justice for everyone whose lives have been destroyed by conflict in the region.
'To a Land Unknown'
Having been recognised at the Red Sea Film Festival, here is an action-packed drama film that attaches a face and a harrowing back story to the refugees otherwise reduced to just a number. Two displaced Palestinian refugees, Chatila and Reda, living on the fringes of society, crave to acquire a set of fake passports so they can flee Athens and move to Germany. But when Reda loses their hard-earned cash to his dangerous drug addiction, Chatila hatches a foolhardy plan rife with risk and doomed to failure. Rather exquisitely – and painfully – showing what happens when push comes to shove, Chatila suggests they pose as smugglers and take hostages so they can escape their hopeless surroundings before it is too late.
It goes without saying that To a Land Unknown is as far removed from feel-good as can be. If the trailer is anything to go by, we are on the receiving end of an unapologetic view of the struggles that befall anyone who has been forced to leave their homeland under extreme circumstances. Directed by the Dubai-born Mahdi Fleifel, To a Land Unknown is tough viewing, but as good an eye-opener as any.
'From Ground Zero'
The cumulative effort of 22 Gazan filmmakers, From Ground Zero offers something a little different, but no less gripping. Born against the backdrop of conflict (as is any work of art in the region, you will have doubtless gathered by now), the project was spearheaded by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi and is a collection of 22 short films totalling nearly two hours and made in Gaza itself.
Each film, ranging in length from three to six minutes, presents an intimate portrait of daily life in a region that is otherwise reduced to statistics in newsprint. We are offered a unique insight into the current reality in Gaza, getting a first-hand look at not just the tragedies, but also the moments of resilience banding everyone together. With 22 filmmakers on board, expect to be treated to a rich variety of genres, including fiction, animation documentary, docu-fiction, and experimental cinema. With sorrow, joy, and hope all entwined into one another, Gaza's vibrant artistic scene shines through against all odds.
The collection was shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards but missed out on a nomination. For those who remain on the fence about whether this venture is worth their time, Bowling for Columbine director Michael Moore offered his two cents in conversation with Deadline: "I tell people, do not avoid this film. If your kids are mature and of a certain age, take them to it. This isn't just the blood and gore you witness on cable news. This film is the response of people who are trying to stay alive while being bombarded and shot at."

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sylvester Stallone is not dead: Online confusion follows passing of funk legend Sly Stone
Sylvester Stallone is not dead: Online confusion follows passing of funk legend Sly Stone

Express Tribune

time3 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Sylvester Stallone is not dead: Online confusion follows passing of funk legend Sly Stone

Actor Sylvester Stallone is alive and well despite a wave of misleading tributes that surfaced online on Monday, June 9. The confusion arose after the confirmed death of funk music pioneer Sly Stone at age 82. The mistaken reports stemmed from the nickname 'Sly,' which both Stone and Stallone share. Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, was a pivotal figure in American music history, known for leading the revolutionary band Sly and the Family Stone. His hits like 'Everyday People' and 'Family Affair' helped redefine funk and soul music. Stone died peacefully after a prolonged battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a family statement. His legacy includes breaking racial and gender barriers in popular music and inspiring generations of artists. In contrast, Stallone—best known for his roles in 'Rocky' and 'Rambo'—continues to work in film and remains politically outspoken. The 78-year-old has not commented publicly on the mix-up, though social media was quick to clarify the error. Sly Stone leaves behind children including Novena Carmel and Phunne Stone, while Stallone's children include Sage, Seargeoh, Sophia, Sistine and Scarlet.

Lilo & Stitch' stays on top in third week
Lilo & Stitch' stays on top in third week

Express Tribune

time10 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Lilo & Stitch' stays on top in third week

The Disney film beat the latest 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Ballerina'. PHOTO: File Disney's family-friendly Lilo & Stitch kept up its dominance of the early summer North American box office, winning for a third week in a row with $32.5 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday, as reported by AFP. The live-action remake of a 2002 animated film of the same name has so far raked in $335.8 million in the United States and Canada, and another $436 million abroad, Exhibitor Relations said. Debuting in second place at $25 million was Lionsgate's Ballerina, a John Wick spin-off starring Ana de Armas as a dancer turned contract killer, and co-starring Anjelica Huston. Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance as the hitman Wick. "This is a weak opening for an action thriller spin-off," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise spy thriller series based on a 1960s TV show – took third place with $15 million. The Paramount film has now grossed more than $449 million worldwide. In fourth place was Sony's Karate Kid: Legends, a sequel featuring Ralph Macchio - the star of the original 1984 classic - and action flick icon Jackie Chan, along with Ben Wang in the title role. It made $8.7 million at the domestic box office in its second week in theaters. And finishing up the top five was Warner Bros. and New Line's horror film Final Destination: Bloodlines, at $6.5 million. It has grossed $123.6 million so far at the domestic box office. Rounding out the top 10 were: The Phoenician Scheme ($6.25 million), Bring Her Back ($3.5 million), Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye ($3.1 million), Sinners ($2.9 million) and Thunderbolts ($2.5 million).

I have to say what's necessary for society: Banu Mushtaq
I have to say what's necessary for society: Banu Mushtaq

Express Tribune

time10 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

I have to say what's necessary for society: Banu Mushtaq

All writers draw on their experience, whether consciously or not, says Indian author Banu Mushtaq – including the titular tale of attempted self-immolation in her International Booker Prize-winning short story collection, as reported by AFP. Mushtaq, who won the coveted literature prize as the first author writing in Kannada – an Indian regional language – said the author's responsibility is to reflect the truth. "You cannot simply write describing a rose," said the 77-year-old, who is also a lawyer and activist. "You cannot say it has got such a fragrance, such petals, such colour. You have to write about the thorns also. It is your responsibility, and you have to do it." Her book Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 powerful short stories, is also her first book translated into English, with the prize shared with her translator Deepa Bhasthi. Critics praised the collection for its dry and gentle humour, and its searing commentary on the patriarchy, caste and religion. Mushtaq has carved an alternative path in life, challenging societal restrictions and perceptions. As a young girl worried about her future, she said she started writing to improve her "chances of marriage". Born into a Muslim family in 1948, she studied in Kannada, which is spoken mostly in India's southern Karnataka state by around 43 million people, rather than Urdu, the language of Islamic texts in India and which most Muslim girls learnt. She attended college, and worked as a journalist and also as a high school teacher. 'Confused' But after marrying for love, Mushtaq found her life constricted. "I was not allowed to have any intellectual activities. I was not allowed to write," she said. "I was in that vacuum. That harmed me." She recounted how as a young mother aged around 27 with possible postpartum depression, and ground down by domestic life, she had doused petrol on herself and on the "spur of a moment" readied to set herself on fire. Her husband rushed to her with their three-month-old daughter. "He took the baby and put her on my feet, and he drew my attention to her and he hugged me, and he stopped me," Mushtaq told AFP. The experience is nearly mirrored in her book – in its case, the protagonist is stopped by her daughter. "People get confused that it might be my life," the writer said. Explaining that while not her exact story, "consciously or subconsciously, something of the author, it reflects in her or his writing". Books line the walls in Mushtaq's home, in the small southern Indian town of Hassan. Her many awards and certificates – including a replica of the Booker prize she won in London in May – are also on display. She joked that she was born to write – at least that is what a Hindu astrological birth chart said about her future. "I don't know how it was there, but I have seen the birth chart," Mushtaq said with a laugh, speaking in English. The award has changed her life "in a positive way", she added, while noting the fame has been a little overwhelming. "I am not against the people, I love people," she said, referring to the stream of visitors she gets to her home. "But with this, a lot of prominence is given to me, and I don't have any time for writing. I feel something odd... Writing gives me a lot of pleasure, a lot of relief." 'Patriarchy everywhere' Mushtaq's body of work spans six short story collections, an essay collection and poetry. The stories in Heart Lamp were chosen from the six short story collections, dating back to 1990. The Booker jury hailed her characters – from spirited grandmothers to bumbling religious clerics – as "astonishing portraits of survival and resilience". The stories portray Muslim women going through terrible experiences, including domestic violence, the death of children and extramarital affairs. Mushtaq said that while the main characters in her books are all Muslim women, the issues are universal. "They (women) suffer this type of suppression and this type of exploitation, this type of patriarchy everywhere," she said. "A woman is a woman, all over the world." While accepting that even the people for whom she writes may not like her work, Mushtaq said she remained dedicated to providing wider truths. "I have to say what is necessary for the society," she said. "The writer is always pro-people... With the people, and for the people."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store