Alam

For Palestinians who stayed on the land that became Israel, Israel's day of founding is also the Palestinian's day of Catastrophe. For their exams, high school students have to learn Israel's version of history, with the stories of dispossessed former Palestinians being suppressed. As Independence Day approaches, tensions increase.

High school student Tamer already has a more-recent family tragedy. His uncle had been pulled from university, convicted of being a member of an anti-Israeli group, sentenced to prison, and eventually went mad. His father tries to be protective, warning him away from anti-Israeli activities, such as Palestinian demonstrations. Tamer goes anyway.

Trying to get close to a girl, he is drawn into a group that is looking to perform an act of defiance, Eventually growing to a group of five students, they plan to replacing the Israeli flag that flies over their school with the Palestinian one (Alam means flag).

While the film has lots of declarations against the forced amnesia, it also has many comedic aspects, as the five conspirators are less-than-ept in carrying out their re-flagging mission. This is a history lesson served with a decent amount of humor.

In a world full of films touting Israel as some safe haven, there are thankfully more realistic depictions of what is actually happening, and this includes Alam. A great example of storytelling as well as bringing viewers into about 90 minutes of how life is experienced by Palestinians in what is so called Israel territory. There are Israeli flags on every inch of public buildings such as hospitals, so you never forget who your occupier is. It's a well done example of how those who do not have claim to something must overcompensate and regularly tell others how they are the rightful owners.

Alam shows how what seems like a small act of teenage rebellion is in fact a great act of resistance and of refusing the erasure of Palestinian history. Well done.