Born

6 Eye-Opening Documentaries About Palestine to Watch Now

From Gaza to the West Bank

Born

Amidst the devastating events taking place in Gaza and East Jerusalem, activists, organizations and creatives have been using art to bring awareness and attention to the issue.

Palestinian rapper Daboor and Ramallah-based record label BLTNM have released a new track which seems to have become an unofficial Palestinian anthem. The Arab Film and Media Institute has made some of Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman’s most iconic films available for free. And UK-based film journal Another Gaze is screening over 15 films by Palestinian women, also for free.

Be it music or films, art has proven to be a powerful tool for educating and dismantling misconceptions about the Palestinian issue. You’ve already got your Palestinian film list covered, so you might want to check out some eye-opening documentaries that’ll give you a deep and authentic insight into the story of Palestine. Here are some of our favorites:

Born in Gaza (2014)

This gripping documentary follows the lives of 10 children living through the siege of Gaza in 2014 and explores the physical and psychological effects of the events on one’s childhood. It’s now available on Netflix.

5 Broken Cameras (2011)

Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat records the reality of living in a village that is being taken over by Israeli settlers. Using a camera which he originally bought to record the birth of his youngest son, Burnat ceaselessly follows the events unfolding over five years, constantly replacing his broken cameras.

Exiles: Edward Said (1986)

Palestinian professor and critic Edward Said tells the story of his homeland and the tragedy of dispossession and exile.

Gaza Fight For Freedom (2019)

Filmed during the height of the Great March of Return protests in 2018, the documentary shows the Gaza demonstrations that left behind 200 unarmed civilians killed by Israeli snipers.

Mayor (2020)

The documentary dives deep into the life of Musa Hadid, the Mayor of Ramallah, and dwells on his aspirations to lead the city into a better future.

Jenin, Jenin (2002)

The Mohammed Bakri-directed film tackles the 2002 deadly Battle of Jenin between Israelis and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

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