Arab Film and Media Institute (AFMI) seeks to continually change the narrative, share stories, and foster understanding of our common humanity through art and storytelling.
PALESTINIAN VOICES will run through the entire month of November. You can watch most of the films in this series online and from anywhere in the world. A few titles are limited to viewers in the United States and some films will also screen in person in select cities.
People of the Land (2018, Palestine/Netherlands, 10 minutes, English)
Dir. Alaa Abu Asad. People of the Land explores the connection the Palestinian people have to land and nature. This collection of short films delves into the ways that occupation affects the environment. Additionally, the films explore the continued connection Palestinian people have to nature, even when they have been forced to leave or are born in the diaspora. Fruit, herbs, trees and even soil hold on to beloved memories and the rich history of their homeland.
Fadia’s Tree (2021, Palestine/United Kingdom 82 minutes, Arabic/English)
Director/Screenwriter Sarah Beddington. Spanning fifteen years, this story of a friendship that stays connected across a divided land and fragmented people, adopts a birds’ eye perspective to reflect on freedom of movement, exile and the hope of return.
* This film closely ties to the short films in the People of the Land program. It is recommended that they’re watched together.
Stitching Palestine (2017, Palestine/Jordan, 78 minutes, Arabic w/ English Subtitles)
Dir. Carol Mansour. Twelve Palestinian women sit before us and talk of their life before the Diaspora, of their memories, of their lives and of their identity. Their narratives are connected by the enduring thread of the ancient art of embroidery.
Gaza Surf Club (2017, Palestine/Germany, 87 minutes, Arabic w/ English Subtitles)
Dir. Philip Gnadt, Mickey Yamine. Our protagonists are part of the surf community of Gaza City. Round about 40 surfboards have been brought into the country over the past decades with great effort and despite strict sanctions. It is those boards that give them an opportunity to experience a small slice of freedom - between the coastal reminder of a depressing reality and the Israeli-controlled three-mile marine border.
* This content can only be viewed in authorized regions: U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands (U.S.)
From Under the Rubble: A Story From Gaza (2017, Palestine, 85 minutes, Arabic/English)
Dir. Anne Tsoulis. A detailed personal account of the adolescent/children survivors, this film sheds light on the 2009 incident the world so urgently wants to forget, as stories of destruction, horror, and war crimes unfold.
* RATED R
Gaza Fights for Freedom (2019, Palestine, 84 minutes, Arabic/English)
Dir. Abby Martin. Filmed during the height of the Great March Of Return protests – a six-week campaign composed of a series of protests near the Gaza-Israel border – Gaza Fights For Freedom features exclusive footage of demonstrations where 200 unarmed civilians lost their lives since the outset of the movement on March 30, 2018.
* CONTENT WARNING: Adult Content & Violence