47/20
The house you live in is being destroyed by bulldozers
Chronology
This film made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective depicts the destruction of the occupied West Bank Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance that develops between Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval.. Just imagine. Imagine you have a choice: live in a cave or build a new house. Imagine having to watch the new house being destroyed by bulldozers as well. This is what is documented in ‘No Other Land’ and it makes your blood boil.
Although friendship may not be the right word
The film shows how a village in the West Bank is systematically destroyed by the Israeli occupiers. Its residents resist, organize protests and initiate court cases, but nothing can stop the process. The film hits you like a punch in the stomach. Much of the material was shot with small hand-held cameras or smartphones, which gives it true authenticity. Another strength of the film is that it documents not only the demolition of buildings, but also the friendship between Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval, who wants to raise public awareness of injustice.
Yuval’s participation gives the film an extra layer
They are colleagues and brothers in arms, but the difference between them is always palpable. “You have to learn to lose,” Basel tells Yuval when the reporter notices that there isn’t much interest in his stories. “We fought for decades, you cannot change the situation in a few days”. For the Palestinians, he will always be a 'yehudi' on the other hand, who can return home to their comfortable life. But to his fellow Israelis, he sympathizes with the enemy, and they accuse him of his involvement in Palestinian activism.
The film has a huge emotional impact
The film contains quiet moments, when Basel and Yuval discuss the situation over an open fire or smoke a hookah, but also shocking images of villagers being shot down, in one case paralyzing the victim and leading him to a miserable life without proper care. It reminded me of similar documentaries like 'For Sam' or '20 days in Mariopolo'. The cameramen stopped filming in October 2023, when everything changed in Israel and Palestine. Of course, the events of the last 12 months give the film added urgency. We know that the village is a symbol of even more injustice, bloodshed and cruelty.
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We also know that not only houses are being destroyed now, but also the lives of thousands of innocent people.