30/12

The house you live in is being destroyed by bulldozers

Scenario

This Palestinian-Israeli collective film shows how Israeli soldiers destroyed the occupied West Bank of Masafer Yatta and the alliance that develops between Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval. Imagine. Imagine you have a choice: live in a cave or build a new house. Imagine having to watch your new home being demolished by bulldozers.

The film punches you in the stomach

That’s what No Other Land documents and it makes the blood boil. The film shows how a village in the West Bank is systematically destroyed by the Israeli occupiers. Its residents resist, organize protests and start legal proceedings, but no one can stop the process. Much of the footage is shot with small handheld cameras or smartphones, giving it an authentic feel.

Although friendship might not be the right word

Another advantage of the film is that it not only documents the demolition of buildings, but also the friendship between Basel, a Palestinian activist, and Yuval, an Israeli journalist who wants to raise public awareness of injustice. They are colleagues and comrades in arms, but the difference between them is always palpable. “You have to learn to lose,” Basel tells Yuval when the reporter notes that his stories aren’t getting much attention. “We have been fighting for decades, it is impossible to change the situation in a few days.” Yuval’s presence adds an extra dimension to the film.

The film has a huge emotional impact

For the Palestinians, there will always be a “Yehudi” on the other side who can return home to a comfortable life. But to his fellow Israelis, he sympathizes with the enemy and they accuse him of participating in Palestinian activism. The film includes quiet moments where Bazel and Yuval discuss the situation over an open fire or smoke hookah, as well as shocking images of villagers being shot, in one case paralyzing the victim and leading him to a life of misery without proper care. It reminded me of similar documentaries like “For Sama” or “20 days in Mariupol”.

The filmmakers stopped filming in October 2023, when things changed in Israel and Palestine

Of course, the events of the past 12 months give the film added urgency. We know that the village is a symbol of much greater injustice, bloodshed and cruelty. We also know that not only homes are being destroyed, but also the lives of thousands of innocent people. See the full lineup for the 62nd New York Film Festival this fall.