Four must-see films on the Palestinian experience

By Aya El Sayed On Nov 20, 2023

Still from Palestinian movie Born in Gaza

As the world changes quickly amid wars and forced displacement, films have always been a way to inspire, influence social change, and raise awareness on important issues.

Many films have served as a medium for Palestinians to portray their experiences and depict their reality.

The Israeli attacks on Gaza, which started on October 7, have worsened the humanitarian crisis there and drawn global attention. Some people are well-informed, while others are misled by some media outlets that spread false or unverified stories.

Here are four Palestinian movies, portraying the truth about the Palestinian lives:

Salt of this Sea (2008)

Palestinian drama, chronicles the journey of Soraya, a young Palestinian woman from Brooklyn, who returns to her ancestral home in the occupied West Bank to find her family’s lost savings, experiencing the realities of life under Israeli occupation.

A World Not Ours (2012)

Directed by Danish-Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel, is a comprehensive yet personal documentary that depicts the life of three generations in exile in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein al-Helweh in southern Lebanon, using personal recordings and family archives.

Born in Gaza (2014)

The Spanish documentary ‘Born in Gaza’, filmed shortly after the 2014 Gaza war, explores the impact of the Israel-Palestinian conflict on the inhabitants of the besieged Gaza. It offers a potent depiction of Palestinian children’s predicament, as seen through their own eyes.

Farha (2021)

‘Farha’, a drama by Jordanian director Darin J. Sallam, portrays the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) of 1948, which led to the formation of Israel. It highlights the severe impact of the Nakba on Palestinians, who were forcibly displaced from their homes.