The film titled “The Encampments,” which explores the Columbia University Gaza Solidarity Encampment that ignited a global student activism movement, has caused controversy with then-U.S. President Donald Trump, and it’s now scheduled for screening in U.S. cinemas.
Watermelon Pictures has unveiled plans for a March 28 premiere at the Angelika Film Center in New York, with future nationwide theater showings scheduled. The movie, titled “The Encampments,” spotlights Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil (seen below), who was held by federal immigration officials in New York earlier this month under Trump’s campaign against students protesting the conflict in Gaza. A court has temporarily halted the administration from deporting Khalil, as his legal team challenges his detention.
The documentary titled “The Doc” – a creation by Grammy-winning rapper Macklemore and helmed by Kei Pritsker of BreakThrough News, as well as filmmaker Michael T Workman – will make its debut on March 25, prior to its cinematic release, at the CPH:DOX Film Festival in Copenhagen.
The Columbia University protests began in April 2024, as around 50 students set up tents on the university’s property, marking the start of a peaceful occupation. This act gradually grew and evolved into a significant global demonstration movement.
The film ‘Encampments’ tells the story of how a student protest, initially sparked by Columbia University’s ban on Palestinian student groups, escalated to include mass arrests that ended a 50-year campus police ban. As students encountered police raids, media scrutiny, and institutional suppression, their movement expanded to campuses nationwide and beyond, making real-time history. The documentary provides glimpses into the student organizers at various encampments, as well as a whistleblower from a high-ranking position within an Ivy League university administration who reveals behind-the-scenes insights about the events unfolding within the ivory tower while students protested below.
Khalil, who recently completed his master’s program at Columbia University’s School of International Affairs, acted as a representative for students during discussions with university administrators regarding the discontinuation of the student encampment.
Directors Pritsker and Workman referred to “The Encampments” as a tribute to the bravery of young people who not only envision a superior world but also stand up for it amidst violence and oppression. They further explained that this film disrupts the mainstream media narrative by unveiling the authentic essence of the encampments, capturing the atmosphere, the emotions igniting the students, and the factors driving their radical actions.
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Pritsker and Workman, the directors, described “The Encampments” as a symbol of young people’s bravery in not only dreaming of a better world but also bravely standing up for it amidst violence and oppression. They added that this film offers an alternative perspective to mainstream media by showcasing the true character of the encampments, the feelings experienced there, the emotions fueling the students’ actions, and the reasons behind their drastic steps.
As a film enthusiast, I’d like to echo Macklemore’s sentiments: “Throughout history, students have consistently taken the frontline in pursuit of justice – from the sit-ins during the Civil Rights Era to protests against South African apartheid on campuses. They’ve always been on the right side of history. The Columbia University encampments are a testament to this legacy, serving as an inspiration for countless individuals worldwide.
The Encampments” is a project produced by BreakThrough News in collaboration with Watermelon Pictures and Macklemore. Additionally, producers for this documentary include Pritsker, Workman, Matthew Bele, and Munir Atalla, with Benjamin Becker acting as the executive producer.
Watermelon Pictures, established in 2024 by brothers Hamza Ali and Badie Ali, was spearheaded creatively by Alana Hadid. This company, grounded in Palestinian heritage and artistic expression, has unveiled “From Ground Zero,” their submission for the 2025 Oscars’ international feature film category, and Mahdi Fleifel’s “To a Land Unknown,” which made its debut at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight the previous year.
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2025-03-19 16:47