This documentary, created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective, captures the destruction of villages in Masafer Yatta, Palestine, and explores the alliance and friendship that forms between Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
This is one of the most urgent and timely documentaries of the year, and arguably one of the best.
Filmed between 2019 and 2023, the film is the result of a collaboration between four filmmakers-many of whom are stepping behind the camera for the first time. Their coming together to create this work is an act of resistance in itself, showing how people on different sides of the conflict can join forces to expose and challenge systemic injustices. The filmmakers' determination underscores the power of storytelling in the face of oppression.
The film is deeply distressing to watch, as it captures the utter disregard shown to the Palestinian families who have lived in Masafer Yatta for centuries. These families are being forcibly displaced, their homes destroyed to expand Israeli military training camps, designated "Firing Zone 918." The disregard for their rights and history is deeply disturbing.
The relationship between Basel and Yuval is a highlight of the film-not because of any perceived improbability of an Israeli-Palestinian friendship, but because of the genuine mutual support and solidarity they have offered each other through years of unrelenting challenges.
As violence and tensions in Israel and Palestine have escalated since 2023, the documentary provides a vital lens into the human cost of military policies in the region. A stark portrait of the daily struggles of Palestinian communities subjected to Israeli home demolitions, forced displacement, and restrictions on movement.
This documentary is essential viewing, both for its profound story of human resilience and its urgent call for justice. It should be required viewing for anyone seeking to understand the harsh realities of Palestine.
