‘No Other Land’ Co-Director Says U.S. Academy ‘Refused’ to Issue Statement in Support of Hamdan Ballal: They Were ‘Silent When a Filmmaker They Honored Needed Them the Most’

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Film director Yuval Abraham of “No Other Land” has voiced his disapproval towards the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for remaining silent on the current circumstances involving his Oscar-winning co-director, Hamdan Ballal.

Ballal, a co-director of the Academy Award-winning documentary “No Other Land” about Israel and Palestine, was freed by Israeli officials on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Abraham shared on platform X: “Regrettably, the U.S. Academy, who honored us with an Oscar three weeks ago, failed to publicly support Hamdan Ballal during his brutal treatment at the hands of Israeli soldiers and settlers. In contrast, the European Academy, along with numerous other award organizations and festivals, showed their solidarity. Many U.S. Academy members, particularly those in the documentary branch, advocated for a statement, but it was rejected. We were informed that since other Palestinians were also attacked during this settler incident, it was deemed unrelated to our film, thereby justifying their silence. In essence, while Hamdan was specifically targeted because of his work on ‘No Other Land’ (he recounts soldiers making light of the Oscar as they tortured him), he was also targeted for being Palestinian – a fate shared by countless others daily who are overlooked. This apparent indifference from the Academy is particularly disheartening, as they could have provided crucial support to a filmmaker they had recognized under Israeli occupation during his time of need. There’s still hope for change in their stance. Even now, making a statement condemning the attack on Hamdan and the Masafer Yatta community would carry a powerful message and act as a deterrent for future incidents.

Events began on Monday as per reports from Abraham on platform X, suggesting that Ballal was allegedly absent following an attack.

Or,

Monday marked the start of the events, based on Abraham’s posts on platform X, implying that Ballal might have been absent due to an attack.

Both sentences convey similar meaning but are slightly different in structure and word choice, offering a bit of variety.

On X Monday, Abraham posted that a mob of settlers brutally attacked Hamdan Ballal, a co-director of our film ‘No Other Land.’ He sustained severe head and stomach injuries and was bleeding profusely. When Hamdan called for an ambulance, soldiers stormed the vehicle, and since then, there has been no sign of him.

Activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence witnessed Ballal being violently assaulted by a band of 10 to 20 masked Israeli settlers. They explained that this group viciously attacked him and other activists with rocks and sticks, shattering their car windows and slashing their tires.

On Tuesday, a collective of international filmmakers such as Alex Gibney and Christine Vachon submitted a plea for Ballal’s freedom. They stated that Ballal was violently taken from an ambulance by the Israeli military after a severe assault by settlers, and since then, there has been no transparency regarding his location.

With over 4,500 signatures on the petition, Abraham announced on X that Hamdan Ballal had been released. “Following a night of handcuffs and brutal treatment at a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now a free man, preparing to return home to his family,” Abraham shared on X yesterday.

The film titled ‘No Other Land,’ created by an Israeli-Palestinian collective, narrates the tale of a Palestinian family residing in the West Bank whose home is demolished by the Israeli authorities, causing their displacement. However, amidst these challenging circumstances, an unlikely bond forms between Adra and Abraham, an Israeli journalist. Together, they endeavor to chronicle this heartrending story.

As a movie enthusiast and reviewer, I’ve just had the privilege of watching a remarkable documentary that initially graced the screens at last year’s Berlin Film Festival, bagging both the top jury and audience prizes. This powerful piece continued to captivate critics and audiences alike on the fall festival circuit, gracing the screens at Toronto, Vancouver, and New York film festivals. Yet, surprisingly, it remains without a U.S. distributor. Consequently, its creators have taken the bold step of self-releasing this masterpiece in New York City on January 31, followed by Los Angeles on February 7. If you haven’t seen it yet, I strongly recommend adding this extraordinary documentary to your watchlist.

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2025-03-26 14:16