Basel Adra is a Palestinian activist filming and documenting how Israeli soldiers and their bulldozers are little by little demolishing Palestinian homes in Masafer Yatta, a collection of 19 villages in the south of West Bank. The Israeli court decided that houses must be cleared in order to build an Israeli firing practice zone, and thus numerous Palestinians are evicted, and now how to live in nearby caves. New Israeli settlements are built on the land and Israeli settlers show up. A protestor, Harun, is shot and left paralysed from his head down, bedridden and taken care off by his mother, until a few years later he dies. Basel is supported by Israeli human-rights activist Yuval Abraham, who becomes his friend.
A critically recognized documentary, "No Other Land" gives its contribution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through the scope of Israeli soldiers and bulldozers evicting and destroying homes of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, south West Bank, assembled as a collection of video footage made by Basel Adra over the span of three years. It also follows Basel's friendship with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham who supports his cause. Several images—a bulldozer demolishes the walls of a house, an elementary school and even a chicken coop; a truck pours mix concrete over a well in a Palestinian garden, under the pretext that the farmers "don't have a permit" and that it's an "illegal well"; a family packs its personal belongings and leaves the house; the Israeli soldiers confiscate construction tools of a family who wanted to rebuild its demolished home—all leave sufficient indications of crimes of forcible transfer and wanton destruction. One frame of Basel lying on the ground while a bulldozer is driving above him on the hill, over the horizon, summed up everything down to a T and was even used as the film's poster. There is also the human dimension when Basel and Yuval bond and talk as friends. One unexpectedly humorous moment has Basel and Yuval have this exchange: "You and me should leave this place altogether." - "Really? Where will we go?" - "To the Maldives." Then the sound of a donkey is heard in the background, so Yuval adds: "The donkey is laughing at your idea", causing Basel to chuckle. There are several surprising moments, as the one where the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visits Basel's village, and thus the Israeli soldiers canceled their plans to demolish an elementary school. An honest, 'raw', astringent and thoughtful document about its era and time: it's the feeling of despair and hopelessness caught on film.
Grade:+++
No comments:
Post a Comment