Film and
Video
119 Bullets + Three
Directors: Yeud Levanon & Amit Goren, VHS 61 minutes, 1995
This documentary provides an analysis of the mindset of settlers that
led to Baruch Goldstein's killing Muslims in the Ibrahimi mosque (the
119 bullets in the title) and Yigal Amir's assassination of Prime Minister
Rabin (the three bullets). First Run Icarus Films, http://www.frif.com/,
718-488-8900
500 Dunam on the Moon
Director: Rachel Leah Jones, RLJ Productions, VHS 47 minutes, 2002
This documentary tells the story of the Palestinian refugees of Ayn
Hawd, which was captured by Israeli forces in 1948 and turned into a
Jewish colony. These refugees settled only 1.5 kilometers away in the
outlying hills. It echoes the story of indigenous peoples everywhere:
oppression, resistance, and the struggle to negotiate the scars of the
past with the needs of the present and the hopes of the future. RLJ
Productions 226 Carlton Ave. #4 Brooklyn, NY 11205, http://www.500dunam.com/order.html,
order@500dunam.com
Arab Diaries #1: Birth
VHS 26 minutes, 2001
This film examines the social, political, and economic pressures that
many Arab families face as they bring life into this world. The social
aspects are examined through the eyes of a female Palestinian woman
who is trying to have a son to please her husband. Other social, political,
and economic factors are examined through Syrian and Iraqi perspectives.
First Run Icarus Films, http://www.frif.com/,
1-800-876-1710
Arab-Israeli Struggle for Peace
VHS 55 minutes, 1993
This documentary uses historic footage to show Arab-Israeli reactions
from the war in 1948 to the Oslo accord of 1993, with scenes from the
wars and depiction of the careers of key Arab and Israeli leaders. Landmark
Media, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/,
1-800-342-4336
Behind the Hatred: Mortal Enemies
A Discovery Channel Production, VHS 47 minutes, 2003
Offering an even-handed assessment of the conflict between the Israelis
and the Palestinians, this program profiles the lives of Ariel Sharon
and Yasir Arafat. Newsreels over the past generation illustrate the
conflict between these two men. Commentary is provided by NY Times
correspondent Serge Schememann and President Clinton's National Security
Advisor Sandy Berger. Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/
Bethlehem Diary
Director: Antonia Caccia, First Run/Icarus Films, VHS 57 minutes, 2001
This documentary focuses on two Palestinian families and a human rights
lawyer in Bethlehem during Christmas 2000, right after the beginning
of the second intifada and the renewed incursions by the Israeli army.
The stories help us to understand how violence affects both their public
and private lives. To order call 1-800-876-1710, order no. NME-6
Beyond the Mirage: The Face of the Occupation
VHS 48 minutes, 2003
This documentary is an attempt to go beyond black and white terms of
the conflict to hear from the people who live in the region. Featured
are many Israelis who attempt to put a human face on the news, including
the director of B'tselem human rights center and an Israeli attorney.
Americans for a Just Peace in the Middle East, 805-705-7315, http://www.ajpme.org/
PO Box 1086 Santa Barbara, CA 93102
Beyond the Walls
Director: Uri Barabash, VHS 104 minutes, 1984
The jailers of an overcrowded prison keep Israeli and Arab inmates at
odds. Once the prisoners realize that their attitudes toward each other
are self-destructive, they unite against the prison guards in a daring
escape plan. This film was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign
Language category in 1984. http://www.1worldfilms.com/Israel/beyondthewalls.htm
The Bombing
Director: Simone Bitton, First Run/Icarus Film, VHS 52 minutes,
1999
The Bombing offers a unique perspective on families that share
a tragic bond. The documentary examines the lives of the families of
suicide bombers and their Israeli victims. The strength of the documentary
is in its refusal to take sides. Its gift is that it humanizes the victims,
bombers, and families.
To order call 1-800-876-1710. Order No. ME32, http://www.frif.com/
Checkpoint: The Palestinians After Oslo
Filmakers Library, VHS 58 minutes, 1997
This documentary covers a range of issues that emerged in 1991-1997
through interviews, street encounters, and scenes. It emphasizes the
ways in which Israeli checkpoints constrict the lives of Palestinians
and undermine the promise of Oslo.
Studio 58 Productions, http://www.filmakers.com/
Children of Fire
Director: Mai Masri, VHS 50 minutes, 1990
This documentary provides a personal perspective on the uprising in
the West Bank in 1988-89, seen through the eyes of children in Nablus.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-322-0882
x202
Children of Ibdaa: To Create Something Out of Nothing
Director: S. Smith Patrick, VHS 30 minutes, 2002
This documentary features the Ibdaa Dance Troupe, a Palestinian children's
dance troupe from a refugee camp in the West Bank. The group uses traditional
debke dance to express the history, struggle and aspirations of the
Palestinian people. The children also visit the demolished villages
from which their grandparents were expelled in 1948. Arabic with English
Subtitles
24 Abbey St. San Francisco, CA 94114 415-864-6324
Chronicle of a Disappearance
Director: Elia Suleiman, VHS 88 minutes, 1996
This film's narrative is the thread on which the director hangs a series
of visual puns and poetic imagery. Suleiman uses these scenes to capture
the strange life in a land that is at once ancient and hyper-modern
and where a people exist in a state of suspended identity.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/item_print.html?itemID=34
Citizen Bishara
Director: Simone Bitton, First Run/Icarus Films, VHS 52 minutes,
2001
This documentary examines the life of Azmi Bishara, a member of the
Israeli Knesset and a Palestinian Israeli. A sociologist by training,
Bishara fights for the equality of Israel's Arab citizens and for their
recognition as a national minority. In 1999, Bishara was the first Palestinian
Israeli to make a bid for the post of Israeli prime minister.
To order call 1-800-876-1710, order no. NME-04, http://www.frif.com/
Close, Closed, Closure
Director: Ram Loevy, First Run/Icarus Film, VHS 52 minutes,
2002
This documentary examines life in the Gaza Strip, which the director
calls a prison for one million Palestinians. The film focuses on how
the border crossings affect the lives of Palestinians in the Gaza. It
also presents contrasting views of Israeli settlers and pacifists.
To order call 1-800-876-1710, order no. NME-05, http://www.frif.com/
The Conflict
VHS 52 minutes, 1998 The program presents the history of Israel
from its Zionist roots in the 19th century to the war of
independence and the emergence of Israel as an independent Jewish state.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Cyber-Palestine
Director: Elia Suleiman, VHS 15 minutes, 2000
This video was commissioned by the town of Bethlehem for the year 2000.
Mary and Joseph are Palestinians living in Gaza and face many obstacles
as they try to make it to Manger Square in order to give birth to the
baby Jesus.
Daughters of Allah
Director: Sigrun Slapgard, VHS 49 minutes, 2001
Filmed in the West Bank and Gaza, the documentary penetrates deeply
into the role of the increasingly strong Islamic movement. It includes
interviews with militant, veiled female activists. Also, young intellectuals
are interviewed about their support for the Islamist movement.
Filmakers Library, http://www.filmakers.com/
Diary of a Male Whore
Director: Tawfik Abu Wael, VHS 15 minutes, 2001
Based loosely on the Moroccan novel For Bread Alone, this film
can be viewed as a metaphorical account of the Israeli-Palestinian peace
process. This short feature depicts libidinal scenes and violent episodes
without any sense of guilt.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/
Divine Interventions
Director: Elia Suleiman, English subtitles, VHS 92 minutes, 2002
The film portrays E.S., whose father lies dying in the hospital and
whose lover lives across the Green Line in Ramallah. The plot is an
excuse for a series of elegant satire, distilling the frustration, rage,
and hopelessness of contemporary Palestinian existence.
Channel 4 Productions
A Dream of Justice and Freedom
Director: Christopher Swann, VHS 52 minutes, 1995
Hanan Ashrawi, with BBC narrator Keith Kyle, reviews the recent stages
of the development of Palestinian nationalism with extensive use of
archival film footage.
Landmark Media Inc, 1-800-342-4336, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/
Edward Said
Director: Edward Said, VHS 40 minutes, 2003
In this program, Edward Said discusses his theory of postcolonialism.
He exposes the Western image of the East and asserts the right of Palestine
to exist as an independent, self governing nation.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Encounter in Ramallah
Directors: Peter Lofgren and Emil Larsson, VHS 53 minutes, 1996
Two young soldiers, an Israeli and an Arab, encounter each other on
a street and both are wounded. The directors explore their lives and
use the examination of their lives to explore the conflict in which
they are caught. The documentary gives a close-up, human view of the
gulf separating both sides. Filmakers Library, http://www.filmakers.com/
For My Children
Director: Michal Avid, VHS 65 minutes, 2002
This deeply moving film explores the lives of eight Palestinian women
and their struggles to live normal lives. Representing a diverse cross-section
of Palestinian society, they speak about their daily encounters with
violence and their marginalization in the ideological debate concerning
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Their stories challenge stereotypes
of Palestinian women.
Women Make Movies, 212-925-0606, http://www.wmm.com/
462 Broadway, Suite 5000
New York, NY 10013
Forbidden Marriages in the Holy Land
Director: Michael Khleifi, VHS 68 minutes, 1996
This film makes a plea for tolerance and understanding about marriages
involving mixed religions and/or ethnic groups in today's Palestinian
and Israeli societies. The complexities of love demand creative compromises
from each couple.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-322-0882
x202
Ford Transit
Director: Hany Abu-Assad, VHS, Summer 2002
This film follows cab driver Rajai through Ramallah and East Jerusalem.
The director says "the Ford Transit is a metaphor for the theater of
the Palestinians, a people without a homeland." The movie examines the
lives of van passengers, including politicians, day laborers, children,
and fellow filmmakers, as they navigate the checkpoints of the West
Bank. The director won the 2003 Human Rights Watch Nestor Almendros
Prize for courage in filmmaking.
www.hrw.org/iff/2003/ny/ford.html.
From the Orange to the Chip: Israel's Economic Revolution
VHS 52 minutes, 1998
Today, technology rather than agriculture is the backbone of the Israeli
economy. Israel's goal is to maintain its position as a force in the
world technology market, leveraging its human capital. This program
examines the ups and downs of this economic revolution in a region that
is resource-poor and surrounded by hostile neighbors.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Frontiers of Dreams and Fears
Director: Mai Masri, VHS 57 minutes, 2001
Two young Palestinian girls, one in a Beirut refugee camp, the other
in a Bethlehem refugee camp, speak about the realities of their daily
lives. The documentary articulates the innermost feelings and hopes
of a new generation of Palestinians living in exile.
Independent Television Service, http://www.itvs.org/.
Frontline in the Holy Land
Public Broadcasting Corporation, VHS 7 hours, 1988
Interviews and a town meeting with Israelis and Palestinians, narrated
by Ted Koppel, that covers the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
and the situation facing the two peoples in the first year of the intifada.
http://www.teacher.shop.pbs.org/,
1-888-PBS-SHOP
The Furthest Mosque
Director: Ovidio Salazar, VHS 19 minutes, 2000
British Catholic folk-rock-jazz star Danny Thompson now converted to
Islam, makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to discover why it is the third
holiest city of Islam. His questions and interviews not only answer
his original question, but also emphasize the commonalities between
the three monotheistic religions.
http://www.halalco.com/video.html,
703-532-3202
Future Peace, Next War
VHS 52 minutes, 1998
In this program, the vision of Israel's purpose and scope is discussed,
including the leaders who have interpreted and shaped that vision. The
director argues that Israel's story has been one of a search for peace
almost constant conflict. Today, even the volatile issues of security
and territorial compromise remain unresolved.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Gaza Ghetto: Portrait of a Palestinian Family
Directors: PeA Holmquist, Joan Mandell, Pierre Bjorklund, VHS 82 minutes,
1984
This documentary explores the issues that caused the 1988 intifada and
continue at the heart of the conflict. Moments of tragedy and joy are
intercut with scenes in which Israeli politicians, soldiers and settlers
discuss responsibility for occupation. The film does on excellent job
of humanizing the conflict. New Day Films, 1-888-367-9154
Gaza Strip
Director: James Longley, VHS 74 minutes, 2002
This documentary is told from a Palestinian teenager's point of view.
The film follows a range of people and events immediately after the
election of Ariel Sharon to the position of Prime Minister. The film
is presented without narration and with little explanation, focusing
on ordinary Palestinians rather than politicians and pundits. It offers
a rare look inside the stark realities of Palestinian life and death
under Israeli military occupation.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-322-0882
x202
Gaza Under Siege
Director: Charlotte Metcalf, VHS 27 minutes, 2001
This film examines the lives of Reyidh and Sabah, members of a Palestinian
family in Gaza. No longer able to provide for their families since the
second intifada and the closing of the Gaza, they have reached the breaking
point. Sabah wonders how long life can go on with no solution in sight.
Human rights lawyer Raji Sourani asks why the UN shies away from its
responsibilities regarding Palestinian refugees.
Bullfrog Films, http://www.bullfrogfilms.org/,
1-800-543-3764
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
Going Home
Director: Omar Al-Qattan, VHS 48 minutes, 1995
British officer Derek Cooper followed orders to leave Jaffa in May 1948.
His continued sense of responsibility to the Palestinians led him to
work for Palestinian relief. This film, focuses on the question of memories,
which are seen as the central issue for any dialogue leading towards
a just peace.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-322-0882
x202
Her Israel
Director: Marjan Tehrani, VHS 50 minutes, 2001
This film explores how defining circumstances, political tension, the
constant presence of violence, and religious history have created vibrant
female identities. The three women demonstrate the multi-dimensional
components involved in existing in this complex Middle Eastern society
and reveal radically different perspectives and lifestyles. Identity
Films, 212-579-6540, 32 W. 75th St, New York, NY 10023
Hitchhikers
Director: Asher Tylalim, VHS 47 minutes, 1998
En route to Tel Aviv, salesman Yehezkel picks up three hitchhikers:
a trigger happy Orthodox soldier, an uninhibited young woman, and a
gay Israeli Arab. With a deft touch, the film bares the intricate personal
foibles of each traveler, each a capsule sketch of one facet of Israeli
society.
Courtesy of Ergo, 668 American Legion Drive, PO Box 2037, Teaneck, NJ
07666-1437
Human Weapon: A Film on the History of Suicide Bombing
Director: Ilan Ziv, First Run/Icarus Films, VHS 54 minutes, 2002
This documentary examines the history of suicide bombing as a tool of
warfare in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The
film focuses on suicide bombings in the Middle East since the early
1980s and illustrates how suicide bombing has changed in the past 20
years. Human Weapon cites the 1994 Hebron massacre as the turning
point in the Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
To order call 1-800-876-1710, order no. NME-01, http://www.frif.com/
If You Make it Possible
Director: Lynn Feinerman, VHS 75 minutes, 1996
This four-part documentary provides portraits of Israeli and Palestinian
peacemakers, offering personalization and reality to the ongoing peace
process. The title of the documentary is based on the Quranic verse
"If you make it possible, it is possible. If you make it impossible,
it is impossible."
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/item/76/,
206-332-0882 x202
The Ingathering
VHS 52 minutes, 1998
This program examines the history of Jewish immigration to Israel and
the tension that exists between Jews of European and non-European origin,
exploring the question of cultural identity in a society founded on
the principle of inclusion of all Jews.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
In the Line of Fire
Patricia Naylor for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, VHS 47 minutes,
2002
This film exposes the reality of covering news from the Middle East.
The documentary follows two Reuters cameramen from Hebron as they compile
a video archive of beatings, shootings, and humiliation of both Palestinians
and journalists in their attempt to inform the world about what really
happens in the West Bank and Gaza.
Filmaker Library, http://www.filmakers.com/.
In the Name of Security
Director: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler, The National Lawyers Guild,
VHS 27 minute, May 2002
This video documents the travels of a delegation from the National Lawyers
Guild throughout the West Bank to investigate war crimes by the Israeli
military. The video shows a brutal occupation designed to prevent statehood,
but also shows the strength of the Palestinian people
www.palestineonlinestore.com/films.htm.
Inside God's Bunker
Director: Micha Peled, VHS 40 minutes, 1994
A powerful portrait of the messianic beliefs of Jewish settlers in Beit
Hadassah in Hebron and nearby Kiryat Arba before and after the Hebron
massacre of 1994. Careful documentation of family life in these areas
includes indoctrination of children in hatred of Arabs.
Moving Images Inc, 415-453-6922, PO Box 67, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Israel at 50
Director: CBS Group, VHS 28 minutes, 1998
Israel has evolved from a land of agrarian pioneers to a modern industrial
state. This program looks at what this complex country means to Jews,
Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims in America.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1-800-527-5126, http://www.films.com/
PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543
Jenin, Jenin
Director: Mohamad Bakri, VHS 54 minutes, 2002
The film includes testimony from Jenin residents after the IDF's military
operation in April 2002, during which the city and the camp were the
scenes of fierce fighting. The film shows the extent to which
prolonged oppression and terror have affected the state of mind of the
Palestinian inhabitants of Jenin. A little girl demonstrates how violence
in her day-to-day life nourishes her feelings of hatred and creates
the need to take revenge.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-332-0882
x202
Jerusalem: Gates to the City
Director: Dani Wachsmann, Francois Abdu Salem, VHS 31 minutes, 1996
Parallel Israeli and Palestinian research teams explore the cultural
diversity of life in Jerusalem. Under the direction of Amy Horowitz
and David Schoenbach, the multifaceted gates - the many human faces
- of Jerusalem are captured in film.
Smithsonian Institutional Center for Folklife/Culture, 202-287-3438
955 L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, D.C. 20560
Jerusalem Stories: Reported by Peter Jennings
Director: ABC News, VHS 50 minutes, 1997
Peter Jennings' visit to Old Jerusalem is wonderfully warm, accurate,
sensitive and unbiased. A series of "stories" captures the history of
Jerusalem, the depth and intensity of meaning which this city holds
for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Without being maudlin, Jennings concludes
with a sincere challenge for tolerance.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, 1-800-257-5126, http://www.films.com/
PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543
Jerusalem's High Cost of Living
Director: Hazim Bitar, VHS 52 minutes, 2001
A few weeks after the beginning of the final stage in the Palestinian-Israeli
peace process, a Palestinian-American filmmaker embarks on a journey
back to his city of ancestry, Jerusalem. Instead of finding his Israeli
neighbors mobilizing for peace, he encounters unexpected hostility.
The filmmaker lives the drama of a number of Jerusalem families as they
cope with death, injury, and injustice.
Alif Productions, 703-920-2968, http://www.alif.com/
Journey to Bethlehem 2000
Director: Alia Arasoughly, VHS 27 minutes, 1997
Hanan Ashrawi narrates this portrait of Bethlehem, its historic past,
the plans for its role in the global celebration of the birth of Jesus
in the year 2000, and the preparations for the restoration of the city.
Bethlehem is the symbol of a human mission affirming the rights of all
human beings, not only Palestinians but citizens of all faiths everywhere.
Palestine Broadcasting Corporation, +02-995-9899.
Journey to the Occupied Lands
Director: Michael Ambrosino, Public Broadcasting Corporation, VHS
86 minutes, 1992. This documentary is a well-photographed Frontline
commentary on the West Bank, including interviews with Israeli settlers
and Palestinians. http://www.pbs.org/, 1-888-PBS-SHOP
Jours Transquilles En Palestine
Director: Sylvain Roumette, VHS 13 minutes, French, 1998
Based on the Fondation pour l'Image photographic collection on pre-1948
Palestine, Sylvain Roumette presents an intimate portrait of life in
Palestine before the creation of Israel. Five women reminisce about
their pre-1948 life and tell their stories of leaving home and witnessing
the breakdown of their centuries-old society. Arab Image Foundation,
718-383-6420, 102 Eagle St, #2R, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Mahmoud Darwich: As the Land is the Language
Director: Simone Bitton, VHS 60 minutes, 1997
This video is a powerful biographical portrait of Darwich's life and
works. When this solitary man reads his poems in public, the writings
express the quintessence of the national tragedy of Palestinian exile.
Arab American Foundation, 92 Corporate Park, C150, Irvine, CA 92606,
osama@arabesca.org
The Milky Way
Director: Ali Nasser, VHS 104 minutes, 1997
The mukhtar of the Palestinian village under Israeli occupation rules
with a heavy hand and cooperates with the Israelis. When his corrupt
son is killed, Mahmud, the outspoken village teacher and prime suspect,
flees to the mountains. A sensitive study of village dynamics.
Kino International Corporation, 1-800-562-3330.
333 W. 39th St, #503, New York, NY 10018
Minarets in the Face of Destruction
Director: Eyad al-Daoud, Journeyman Pictures, VHS 52 minutes, 2001
Filmed from the point of the Palestinian Diaspora, it returns to Israel
in search of mosques and other Palestinian holy sites left behind by
the local population when Israel was created. What it finds at many
of the sites of ancient mosques is destruction and desecration. The
film offers a deeper understanding of the Palestinians' desperate sense
of loss. To order: http://www.journeyman.tv/?lid=10235,
or +44-20-8941-9994.
The Mountain
Director: Hanna Elias, VHS 24 minutes, 1992
This documentary is an elegantly photographed drama about a Palestinian
girl in Galilee whose parents oppose her marriage to a vegetable vendor
from Gaza.
My Jaffa
Director: Robert Manthoulis, VHS 53 minutes, 1998
This film remembers Jaffa through the eyes of two families that lived
there before 1948. The history is related before 1948 through interviews
and old film footage from the time of General Allenby. This film provides
an unusual look at Palestinian exiles who feel longing and despair for
their homeland. Filmakers Library, http://www.filmakers.com/.
My Terrorist
Director: Yulie Cohen Gerstel, Women Make Movies, VHS 58 minutes,
2003
A personal reflection on the Middle East cycle of violence, Gerstel
embarks on a journey to find Fahad Mihyi, one of the attackers on an
El Al flight in 1978. She initiates a correspondence in which Fahad
expresses contrition. The movie contrasts this reconciliation with the
rage of the parents of a flight attendant killed by the attackers. http://www.wmm.com/catalog/pages/c610.htm,
212-925-0606 x360
Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948
Directors: Benny Brunner and Alexandra Jansse, VHS 56 minutes, 1997
Al Nakba tackles the tragic events surrounding the Palestinian
refugee flight, particularly from the perspective of Israeli historian
Benny Morris. Eyewitnesses describe what happened rather than what Israeli
and Arab propagandists have said happened. The interviewees include
Azmi Bishara, Shaban Mahmoud, a Palestinian refugee, and Itzhak Pundak.
Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles
Landmark Media, Inc. 1-800-342-4336, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/
Naji al-Ali, An Artist with Vision
Director: Kasim Abid, First Run/Icarus Films, VHS 52 minutes, 1999.
This documentary examines the life of the late Palestinian cartoonist
Naji al-Ali. He was known for producing thousands of cartoons satirizing
the powers-that-be in the Middle East. Naji al-Ali is still the most
popular artist in the Arab world, loved for his defense of the average
person. Interviews with leading Arab journalists and poets reveal his
commitment to the Palestinian people. To Order call 1-800-876-1710,
Order # ME38, http://www.frif.com/
Neighbor or Foe? The Battle of Jerusalem's El Khalidieh Street
Director: Nissim Mossek, VHS 61 minutes, 1995
With the Temple Mount the focus of the struggle, Khalidieh Street in
the heart of the Muslim quarter of the Old City personalizes elements
of struggle between Jews and Muslims to claim Jerusalem as their capital.
Violence has erupted; basic emotions spill over leaving an uneasy coexistence
in this once peaceful street. PowerSports International, 818-708-9995
Nightfall
Director: Mohamed Soueid, VHS 70 minutes, 2000
The director draws from his diaries, recounting the time he spent in
"The Student Squad" of the Palestinian Resistance Movement "Fatah" during
the Lebanese Civil War. He recounts stories, both happy and sad, of
old friends fallen during the war and others still living with their
memories and solitude. Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-322-0882
x202
Oasis of Peace
Director: Jocely Ajami, VHS 28 minutes, 1995
The story of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, a unique village in Israel
where Jews and Palestinians have been living together since 1978, is
one of idealistic realism. Neither this experimental community nor their
School for Peace workshops, affecting more than 15,000 teenagers, find
the road to peace easy. Yet this is a small step towards hope. Landmark
Media Inc, 1-800-342-4336, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/3450
Slade Dun Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042
Our Honour and His Glory: Honor Killing in the Palestinian Zone
Director: Sigrun Slapgard, VHS 28 minutes, 2001
This film documents two cases of honor killings in Palestinian villages.
One girl, who attempted to return to her family which had cast her out
in disgrace, had her death publicly announced. Another was kept in prison
to protect her from her family and was later given a new identity. The
film illustrates the challenges facing women in a changing society.
Filmakers Library, http://www.filmakers.com/
Palestine
VHS 52 minutes, 2002
The documentary examines the ways in which the history of Palestine
has been shaped by the governments of other countries. The documentary
uncovers the factors, personages, and events which have led to the crisis
of today.
Landmark Media, Inc. 1-800-342-4336, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/
Palestine: 1890-1990
A United Nations Production, VHS 35 minutes, 1993
This documentary provides a historical look at the conflict surrounding
the geographical area of Palestine. Major events covered include the
origins of Zionism, Palestine's position in the Ottoman Empire, the
Balfour Declaration, the British mandate, and the 1948 partition. Major
historical figures are also profiled. Films for the Humanities &
Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Palestine is Still the Issue
Director: Anthony Stark and John Pilger, Carlton International Media,
VHS 53 minutes, 2002
In this film, John Pilger returns to the West Bank to find out why the
Palestinians are still refugees in their own land. Pilger speaks to
families of suicide bombers as well as their victims and in the process
sees the humiliation that the Palestinians live with every day.
Bullfrog Films, http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/ 1-800-543-3764
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
Palestinian Writers
Director: Matteo Bellinelli for RTSI-Televisione Svizzera, VHS 50
minutes, 1980
This film is a portrait of two women writers from the West Bank. The
film follows one writer through the streets of Nablus and another who
returned to Palestine after the 1993 Oslo Agreement. Filmakers Library,
http://www.filmakers.com/.
People and the Land
Director: Tom Hayes, 1997
Funded by PBS, the film evaluates the role that United States tax dollars
play in perpetuating the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The film is a
culmination of over a decade of work by Tom Hayes and his crew. Arab
Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/item/178/,
206-332-0882 x202
The People's Army
VHS 52 minutes, 1998
This program examines the history of the Israeli Defense Forces in all
of its conflicts from the war of independence to the formation of elite
units. The program also includes the details of life in the field when
being an Israeli means being a soldier. Films for the Humanities &
Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Persona Non Grata
Director: Oliver Stone, Morena Films, VHS 67 minutes, March 2002
This documentary focuses more an Oliver Stone's weeklong trip to the
West Bank and Jerusalem in March 2002 and less on attempting to examine
the conflict on an intellectual level. His inability to meet with Arafat
becomes the driving force behind the visit, which takes place at the
most violent point in the uprising and the Israeli reoccupation of Palestinian
cities. Home Box Office (HBO), http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/persona/
Primetime War
A Highlight Production, VHS 52 minutes, 2000
This film follows an Israeli and a Palestinian cameramen who are good
friends and colleagues. The film shows how the media affects the events
it covers. The two cameramen constantly question the validity of their
work and the moral dilemmas concerning the role and responsibility of
the media in reporting events in the West Bank.
Filmakers Library, http://www.filmakers.com/.
Promises
Director: Justine Shapiro, B.Z. Goldberg, Carlos Bolado, VHS 102
minutes, February 2003
Promises examines the conflict in the Middle East through the
eyes of Palestinian children in Dheisheh camp and Jerusalem and Israeli
children in Jerusalem and a settlement. The afternoon that the Israeli
twins spend in Dheisheh illuminates the complex reactions and the fleeting
chances for friendship. Emmy Awards for Best Documentary, Outstanding
Background Analysis. Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary.
http://www.promisesproject.org/,
212-925-7800 x100
Rana's Wedding
Director: Hany Abu-Assad, VHS, 2001
This film is about a young Palestinian woman who resists her father's
attempts to prevent her from marrying Khalil, the theater director whom
she loves. The film is based on a true story and was filmed in East
Jerusalem and Ramallah. The film opened the Human Rights Watch International
Film Festival in 2003.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-332-0882
x206
The Road to Palestine
Director: Robert Fisk, A Discovery Channel Production, VHS 52 minutes,
2002
The program examines the displacement of Palestinians, paying specific
attention to Hamas, Israeli rule over Gaza, and the attitudes of Zionist
settlers. The video reveals the hostility and humanity on both sides
across their historical, religious, and ideological divide.
Films for the Humanities and Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
The Road to Peace: Israelis and Palestinians
Director: Yaron Shemer, First Run/Icarus Films, VHS 60 minutes,
1995
In the aftermath of the 1993 peace accords, this film explores changes
in the areas of economy, health and education on the West Bank, profiling
enterprising people on both sides who are working toward mutual trust
and a peaceful future.
To order call 1-800-876-1710, http://www.frif.com/
Shalom of Safed
VHS 28 minutes, 1969
Shalom, a humble watchmaker living in the Galilee, began painting when
he neared sixty. His acclaim as a unique folk-artist was immediate.
This film explores the techniques of his paintings as well as the spiritual
and physical sources of his inspiration.
Ergo Home Videos, 1-800-685-3746.
The Settlers
Director: Ruth Walk, First Run Icarus Films, VHS 52 minutes, 2002
A relatively sympathetic film of religious Jewish families in the Tel
Rumeida settlement inside Hebron, filmed in 1999. The director focuses
mainly on the women who lead these strictly observant households. An
addition to the film after the outbreak of the intifada in 2000 reveals
its impact on these Israeli settlers.
To order call 1-800-876-1710, order no. NME-03, http://www.frif.com/
The Shadow of the West
VHS 50 minutes, 1986
This documentary is an analysis by the Palestinian American scholar
Edward Said of the Palestinian refugee situation as the residue of the
modern encounter between the Arabs and the West, which is traced through
the Crusades, Napoleon's campaign in Egypt, and the French and English
empire builders who came in his wake.
Landmark Media, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/,
1-800-342-4336
Shadows of Peace
VHS 53 minutes, 2002
This film takes us from the roots of the conflict up to the current
situation. In the middle of the conflict, there are men and women from
both sides who work hard to bring about encounters, exchanges and respect.
These activists give us keys on a human scale for a future of harmonious
cohabitation which they are already living.
Landmark Media, Inc. 1-800-342-4336.
A Short History of Jerusalem
Director: International Campaign for Jerusalem, VHS 10 minutes,
1995
A brief politico-religious chronology of the city of Jerusalem with
some on-site footage is enlivened by a creative selection of film clips,
slides of artifacts, and photographs. The focus is on a peaceful solution
for Jerusalem with respect for Palestinian as well as Israeli rights.
Council for the National Interest, 202-628-6958.
This is not Living
Director: Alia Arasoughly, VHS 42 minutes, 2001
This deeply moving piece explores the lives of eight Palestinian women
and their struggle to live normal lives amidst the degrading drama of
war. Representing a diverse cross-section of Palestinian society, they
candidly speak about their daily encounters with violence and their
marginalization in the ideological debate concerning the Palestinian-Israeli
conflict. Their stories challenge stereotypes of Palestinian women in
the media and provide a much-needed window into experiences rarely seen
in the West.
Women Make Movies, http://www.wmm.com/, 212-925-0606
Ticket to Jerusalem
Director: Rashid Masharawi, Global Film Initiatives, VHS 85 minutes,
2003
The film follows Jabber, a man who makes a living showing films to children
in the West Bank refugee camps. The film focuses on some of the absurdities
that Palestinians must deal with as a result of the occupation. Jabber's
devotion is his way of coping with life as a Palestinian in the West
Bank.
Trumpet in the Wadi
Directors: Lina and Slava Chaplin, VHS 97 minutes, 2001
This film tells of a love story between two outsiders in Israeli society:
a young Arab Christian woman and a new Jewish immigrant from Russia.
In 2001, this film won the best film award at the Haifa International
Film Festival the best drama at Israeli Film and Television Academy
Awards, 2001
Veiled Hope: Women of Palestine
Director: Norma Marcos, VHS 55 minutes, 1994
The overall thrust of this video is a description, through interviews
with five women, of the density of personal and political experiences
facing Palestinian women. They discuss their relationships with fathers,
brothers, and husbands, their political activities, and their experiences
of life under occupation.
Women Make Movies, http://www.wmm.com/
Voices in Exile: Immigrants and the First Amendment
Directors: Joan Mandell and Laura Hayes, VHS 30 minutes, 1989
This chilling documentary follows dramatic changes in immigration law
through one of the country's longest-running immigration cases. The
film asks, do immigrants have the same rights as citizens under the
U.S. Constitution? The ACLU and Center for Constitutional Rights take
on the Justice Department in a battle over whether non-citizen residents
are entitled to First Amendment rights.
New Day Films, 1-888-367-9154
Water Wars
Director: Iain Taylor, VHS 26 minutes, 1997
From the worldwide picture of diminishing water resources and increasing
concern, particularly in the arid Middle East, this film zeros in on
the inequities of water distribution in Israel, with Palestinians getting
short shrift. Specific examples, interviews with both Palestinians and
Israelis, and statistics bolster the devastating conclusions about "water
apartheid."
Landmark Media Inc, 1-800-342-4336, http://www.landmarkmedia.com/
Welcome to Hadassah Hospital
Director: Ramon Gieling, 50 minutes, VHS 2002.
This film examines individuals who work at the Hadassah Hospital in
Jerusalem. It follows Dr. Avi Rivkind who must treat those affected
by and those who planned suicide bombings side by side. The doctors
make no distinction between their patients, for the patients the situation
is much harder. This is definitely a powerful film about integrity and
humanity.
Netherlands Public Broadcasting, http://www.npbsales.com/, + 31 35 6773561
Whose State? Whose Religion?
VHS 52 minutes, 1998
Many Israelis today identify themselves as a nation, not a religion.
This program examines a divisive question that has pitted Israeli against
Jew. This question of identity continues to shape Israeli politics and
society.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, http://www.films.com/.
Women of South Lebanon
Directors: Jean Khalil Chamoun & Mai Masri, VHS 75 minutes,
1986
This docudrama examines Lebanese villagers' reactions to the Israeli
occupation in1982, focusing on the women who must cope with daily life
in that insecure environment.
Arab Film Distribution, http://www.arabfilm.com/, 206-332-0882
x202
Women Under Siege
Director: Marilyn Gaunt, VHS 25 minutes, 1982
This documentary examines a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon a year
before the Israeli invasion of 1982, focusing on the roles played by
women as mothers, teachers, political organizers, farm laborers, and
fighters.
First Run Icarus Films, http://www.frif.com/, 718-488-8900
You, Me, Jerusalem
Producers/Directors: Micha Peled and George Khleifi, VHS 54 minutes,
1996
An Israeli and a Palestinian co-produced a film about a mixed Israeli-Palestinian
ambulance crew, and their friends and families. From these ordinary
people comes commentary about basic issues, ideals, mistrusts, fears
and the challenges faced by those seeking to live normal lives in abnormal
circumstances. MXP Productions, 415-453-6922
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