It is not only imperative but crucial that the Palestinian people receive proper representation in the media. October 14th, Netflix officially launched the ‘Palestinian Stories’ Collection with 32 amazing Award-Winning Films by acclaimed directors. This is not only a huge win but accomplishment for the Palestinian community as the biggest movie/tv streaming service in the world is displaying the TRUTH of what the daily life of a Palestinian consists of.
🎥 Here is a List of the 32 Palestine Films you NEED to Watch:
Salt of this Sea By Annemarie Jacir
Soraya, a 28 year old Palestinian-American woman, decides to visit Palestine to collect the money of her late grandfather. He had been exiled during the great Nakba and left all his money behind in a local bank hoping to return one day. On her trip, Soraya experiences all the prejudices she was protected from while living in America.
Like Twenty Impossibles By Annemarie Jacir
While trying to enter Jerusalem, a Palestinian film crew gets stopped at a checkpoint. Using the cameras they have on them, they are able to capture the encounter and what happens following.
Ghost Hunting (by Raed Andoni)
A documentary that highlights the trauma Palestinians go through when incarcerated by the Israeli government. The crew recreated an Israeli prison holding cell, where previously incarcerated individuals are placed to address their trauma. This is a very heavy piece of media, but one that highlights Palestinian trauma in a very important manner.
Ave Maria By Basil Khalil
A short film that follows the lives of five Palestinian nuns who have taken a vow of silence, but are disrupted when an Israeli settler family crashes into their covenant walls. Tension grows and a solution needs to be found.Frontiers of Dreams and Fears By Mai Masri
Masri tells the story of two girls living in refugee camps, one in Bethlehem and one in Beirut. Masri captures their dreams and hopes for the future.Children of Shatila By Mai Masri
Mai Masri uses this documentary to showcase the lives of two Palestinian kids who reside in Shatila refugee camp. The film explores the kids’ imaginary world where fantasy escape helps them cope with the difficulties of their everyday lives.
‘Children of Shatila’ (Lebanon, 1998) film by Mai Masri. Final scene where the children of the camp are asked in a workshop how they would paint Palestine. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/M5CwNUyG4L
— وسيم (@w5ssim) October 8, 2021
3000 Nights By Mai Masri
Wrongly accused of terrorism by the Israeli government. This newlywed is incarcerated in a high security prison, during which she learns she is pregnant. While she begins to deal with the situation, the other inmates plan a revolt.
A Man Returned By Mahdi Fleifel
A documentary that explores the life of a man dealing with an addiction and his process of returning back home to Ain al-Hilweh and deciding to marry.
3 Logical Exits By Mahdi Fleifel
Sort of a sequel documentary to A Man Returned in which Fleifel returns to Ain al-Hilweh to visit an old friend.
A Drowning Man (by Mahdi Fleifel)
A short film in which a Palestinian man, away from home in Athens, laments on his new life in exile.
A World Not Ours By Mahdi Fleifel
A partly found footage documentary that spans 20 years, in which Mahdi Fleifel constructs a story of hopelessness felt by many Palestinians. The documentary takes place in a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon.Xenos By Mahdi Fleifel
A short documentary about the harsh lives of a few young Palestinian men who were smuggled into Greece.Divine Intervention (by Elia Suleiman)
With limited dialogue, Divine Intervention uses situational and physical comedy to tell a story of two lovers separated by a checkpoint. It offers a unique way to tell a story while being both satirical and honest.
Chronicle of a Disappearance By Elia Suleiman
After living in New York for years, filmmaker Elia Suleiman takes things into his own hands and shows viewers his wanderings through Nazareth and Jerusalem as he returns to his homeland.
In Vitro By Larissa Sarsour and Soren Lind
Set in an underground orchard in a dystopian future, two scientists discuss exile, loss, and nostalgia. Bethlehem is noted as the epicenter of an otherworldly disaster. The film, very effectively, represents the division of people, faith, and nations.Maradona's Legs By Firas Khoury
A short film set in the 90’s where two boys set on a mission to find a missing sticker that will win them a free Atari game. A more upbeat story about two Palestinian boys and their innocence in a world of corruption.The Crossing By Ameen Nayfeh
A short film that sees three Palestinian siblings as they journey to across the Apartheid wall to visit their bedridden grandfather.
Bonbone By Rakan Mayasi
With her husband detained in Israeli prison, a Palestinian woman creates a plan to disobey the no-contact rules in place in order for a sweet exchange she can have with her husband.
Condom Lead By Arab and Tarzan Nasser
In this film that parodies the Gaza war, a Palestinian couples intimacy gets repeatedly interrupted by Israeli shelling. The danger of war looms over this short film directed by Arab and Tarzan Nasser.Mars at Sunrise By Jessica Habie
A Palestinian artist tells a Jewish-American poet the story of how he was tortured by a failed Israeli artist who wanted to turn him into an informant.Girafada By Rani Massalha
A beautiful story of hardship and hope. After an air raid kills a male giraffe in the West Bank’s only zoo, a vet and his son go on a journey to find a mate for the lone surviving giraffe.Samouni Road By Stefano Savona
Using a multitude of mediums; live action, animation, and drone footage, Savona captures the story of a tragedy that struck a family of Palestinian farmers during the Gaza War.
Omar By Hany Abu-Assad
A Romeo & Juliet-esque film that explores the lives of Omar and Nadia, each living on opposite sides of the Apartheid wall. A love story of two people being forced apart by something out of their control.Ibrahim: a Fate to Define By Line al-Abed
In this documentary, Lina al-Abed searched for answers to her father's disappearance in a provocative personal way. Questions arise as to whether he was just another normal man, or a member of a militant splinter faction.