DokuFest (2 – 10 August) announces a new program titled «No Other Land: Films on Palestine,» focusing on the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict amid the war in Gaza and rising Middle East tensions.
Featured is Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel, by Palestinian filmmaker Micha Kleifi and Israeli filmmaker Eyal Sivan. This 2002 documentary travels along the 1947 partition line, offering insights into the shared complexities of two nations.
No Other Land captures life in occupied Palestine, documenting the destruction in Masafer Yatta, West Bank, under Israeli occupation, and resistance against forced displacement. It also highlights the friendship between Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval.
Three Promises, composed of early 2000s home videos, provides an intimate family portrait during wartime, echoing Palestine’s history and struggles for freedom.
The program includes three short films: Kamal Aljafari’s UNDR, using archival footage to narrate calculated incursions, and serving as a companion to his feature A Fidai Film; Miranda Pennell’s Man Number 4, narrated by John Smith, examines a haunting Gaza photograph, questioning the ethics of being an onlooker; and Dancing with Palestine, showcasing the traditional dabke dance as cultural resistance and celebration.
With other films on the Arab-Israeli conflict, debates, and a performance by a Palestinian band, DokuFest aims to foster discussion about one of the world’s longest conflicts. Filmmakers #Eyal Sivan# and #Kamal Aljafari# will attend for screenings, talks, and Q&A sessions.
