Will the Year’s Most Powerful Documentary Ever Make It to Theaters?

As a movie enthusiast with a keen interest in documentaries that bring light to complex global issues, I found No Other Land to be a profoundly moving and eye-opening cinematic experience. Having grown up in a household where the Middle East conflict was an ongoing topic of discussion, this film resonated deeply with me on both a personal and intellectual level.

“No Other Land,” a compelling documentary, was primarily produced between 2019 and 2023 in and around the Masafer Yatta community in the southern West Bank. This production team, made up of four Israeli-Palestinian directors, also incorporated extensive archival footage from more than a decade ago. Filming concluded last October, coinciding with a surge in regional violence; a chilling final scene depicts an October attack by Israeli settlers backed by military forces, resulting in the shooting of one Palestinian villager who is a relative of one of the film’s makers.

Masafer Yatta is not located within Gaza, yet the escalation of conflict there is unfortunately predictable. The movie “No Other Land” doesn’t only depict gunfire as its tragic casualty; people lose their lives throughout this film. Shot with prosumer cameras, iPhones, and high-end video equipment, the movie offers a stark portrayal of the harsh realities of occupation. It follows two intertwined narratives that span over years: one revolves around the Israeli Defense Forces’ persistent attempts to expel Palestinians from this region; the other focuses on the blossoming friendship between two filmmakers. Basel Adra, a trained lawyer who has grown up under the constant threat of expulsion, is one of the main characters (early footage shows his father being arrested by authorities for protesting against Israel’s incursions into their community). Yuval Abraham, an investigative Israeli journalist from Be’er Sheva, also appears as a central figure. Both men are open about their activist identities. Adra has devoted years to recording military operations in his village and the surrounding areas; Abraham admits that he left the IDF when they assigned him to an intelligence unit due to his proficiency in Arabic (the other two credited directors are Palestine’s Hamdan Ballal and Israel’s Rachel Szor, who also served as the film’s cinematographer).

Initially, Adra feels cautious towards Abraham due to their similar political views. Unlike Palestinians, Abraham can return to Be’er Sheva every night, a mere half-hour drive away, and has the liberty to travel on roads inaccessible to Palestinians. Moreover, he doesn’t have to endure regular nighttime disturbances such as home invasions and stun grenades. The documentary, No Other Land, frequently lingers with its characters for lengthy periods, allowing them to discuss politics and daily life. In one instance, Abraham engages in a discussion with a man who finds it difficult not to blame him for Israel’s actions. The man questions their friendship, stating, “How can we be friends when you come here?” He further adds, “It could be your brother or friend who destroyed my home.” Their interaction is complex, oscillating between friendly and distant tones, as they collaborate on rebuilding a house that was demolished by the IDF.

It might not be immediately clear, but the man you see is Hamdan Ballal, one of the film’s co-directors. This candid, human scene is something that most political documentaries would avoid, as they strive to maintain a clear perspective or hide any internal conflicts, especially among themselves. However, this intimate moment amplifies the heartache of the depicted reality. The strain of occupation and violence on ordinary people is evident in their most personal interactions. For instance, Abraham and Adra discuss if they’ll ever have families, a discussion that is friendly but filled with meaningful silences. In this film, what isn’t said can sometimes be more impactful than the spoken words.

In the Western regions, we experience a peculiar yet convenient form of amnesia regarding this ongoing conflict. Our memories seem to erase after each fresh outbreak, causing us to perceive subsequent events as black-and-white, one-dimensional retaliations: “The Palestinians did something, so the Israelis responded,” or the converse, when in reality, this prolonged occupation, filled with relentless acts of cruelty and mental distress, has been ongoing for many years, leaving ordinary people stuck in the middle.

From my perspective, the most remarkable aspect of “No Other Land” lies in its ability to condense events across time. At one moment, Abraham shares his frustration over a report that didn’t garner much online attention due to a single home demolition. Adra smiles softly, teasingly reminding Abraham of his eagerness for instant change. The reality is, people aren’t keen on reading about the destruction of individual homes, coops, or schools. “This,” Adra muses, “is a tale of power.” Not only who possesses it, but how it’s exercised and perceived. The Israeli Defense Forces’ efforts to dismantle Masafer Yatta aren’t sudden, massive assaults because such actions would draw international media attention. (Archival footage shows that a visit by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair years ago spared a school built by the villagers for their children.) Instead, the destruction unfolds gradually over time through scattered incursions: a home demolished here, a well filled with concrete there, a late-night raid there. However, on screen, in “No Other Land,” these events transpire within minutes, and this cinematic compression of time feels like a crucial and enlightening reversal of the power dynamics at play.

The film titled “No Other Land” debuted earlier this year at the Berlin Film Festival, where it garnered two significant awards and stirred up some debate. One of the more absurd instances of this controversy unfolded during the festival’s closing night ceremony, when Adra and Abraham were on stage to accept an award. They used the opportunity to criticize the Israeli Defense Forces’ actions in Gaza and advocate for Germany’s ongoing military backing of Israel. Their speech was met with approval from German culture minister, Claudia Roth. In a bizarre twist that might have been scripted for the movie itself, she later released a statement praising only the Israeli member of the filmmaking duo, while the Palestinian was left unacknowledged.

Ever since its debut in Berlin, the film has been making waves across global film festivals, earning numerous accolades along the way. Recently, it was screened at Telluride, Toronto, and now the New York Film Festival. However, despite being purchased for distribution in several countries such as the U.K., France, and Australia, it remains undistributed in the United States. This is somewhat unexpected given the film’s poignant subject matter. In the past, American distributors and exhibitors have shown a penchant for controversy when it comes to critically acclaimed films that explore humanitarian themes. One might wonder if budget constraints, fear, or political disagreements are preventing its release in the U.S. Nevertheless, the film’s message about power remains potent, not only in the narrative on screen but also in raising questions about whether American audiences will have an opportunity to witness this profound documentary.

2024-10-05 15:55

Will the Year’s Most Powerful Documentary Ever Make It to Theaters?

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