This year’s Oscars were quite eventful. The outcomes were very different from what the mass audience expected, and this is exactly what happened with the Palestinian documentary “No Other Land,” which won the Academy Award for the best documentary. But what is this film even about and why is it getting so much recognition? Let’s find out.
About the Film
The documentary “No Other Land” was recorded from 2019 to 2023 and mainly consists of camcorder footage that documents the chronicles of settler violence in Masafar Yatta, West Bank. The film showed the demolition carried out by the Israeli military as they wanted to turn this village into a military training zone. The Israeli army can be seen razing schools, filling water wells with cement and pulling off other tactics to make people migrate from the region.
The Purpose Behind the Film
This documentary was released during the ongoing apartheid and was made to warn people of the war crimes Israeli occupation is carrying out in Gaza. Ever since October 7th, the Israel-Palestine war has been as intense as ever, but the world still seemed not to bat an eye. The camcorder footage in the documentary showed the human rights violation of innocent civilians being done in the name of “collateral damage.”
This documentary was made to show the real-life picture of the apartheid and what the strongest nations in the world are funding. It was an attempt to keep aside bias and understand how horrible it is in Gaza.
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About The Creators: Who Made It?
Basel Adra made the film with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, who co-directed it along with Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal and Israeli filmmaker Rachel Szor. It was the directorial debut of all four directors involved. The four directors are Palestinian-Israeli activists, and this direction was taken as an act of resistance to the path of justice.
Even in the Oscar acceptance speech, Basel made sure to highlight his purpose and get his message across. “The film reflects the harsh reality we have been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people. About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope for my daughter is that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now,” said Basel.
Where and How Can You Watch It?
Unfortunately, despite the purpose, many studios and distributors in the US refused to pick up the film, and even the online streaming platforms in the US ignored the documentary. When Abraham, one of the directors, saw this lack of interest, he decided to give the documentary a theatrical release in the US independently. Abraham told The New York Times in an interview: “In the US, so many people are writing us, ‘How can we watch it?’ So, we decided to do the theatrical release independently, and it’s now going to show in about 100 theatres in the US.”
There are very few online streaming links where you might be able to watch the documentary, but it can be bought on certain streaming platforms like Amazon UK, Sky Store, and Apple TV. All we can do is hope that other platforms will show interest and understand its purpose after the Oscar win.
The Flip Side
While many Western influencers are seen applauding the film’s win, Palestinians seem to have a different opinion. Calling it ‘Textbook Normalisation of Israel,’ locals from Palestinians believe that it is precisely what they have been fighting against for decades. Working alongside Israeli directors and portraying the narrative of the Israeli State perhaps supports the coloniser mindset which goes against the Palestinian cause.
Many believe that the film, as well as the speech delivered, showed a white saviour complex, putting all the blame on the Israeli government while the citizens are very much at fault too.
‘No Other Land’ has indeed sparked debate globally. So, what are your thoughts?
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