Abstract
Taking its starting point in the website palestinedocs.net that was created in response to Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip in July 2014, the article takes up a number of documentary films on the plight of the Palestinians. It tracks the history of the cinematic representation of Palestine back to 1896 and highlights the importance of giving the Palestinians a voice and a presence, not least in view of the claim forwarded by Israëli prime minister Golda Meïr in 1969 that ‘they do not exist.’ The article suggests a division of the films into four (somewhat overlapping) categories: international films, films made by Palestinians, exilic films and liberal Israeli films, seeking to outline some overall characteristics of each group. If the international films will always present an outsider’s point of view, the shock experienced by foreign filmmakers when confronted with the grotesque absurdities of life in occupied Palestine can make for very strong and eye-opening statements. The films made by Palestinian filmmakers, on the other hand, provide an insight into what daily life under occupation is like, often translating this experience into singular constellations of time and space. While most Palestinians actually live in exile, the third group primarily consists of films made by Palestinians living outside the Middle East - films often revolving around nostalgia and issues of identity and belonging. Finally, the films made by Israelis testify to the opposition within Israel to the official policy towards Palestinians, some of them voicing the conviction that it is not in Israel’s best interest to pursue the aggressions.
| Translated title of the contribution | Making the Invisible Visible: Documentaries chronicling the lives of Palestinians in and outside the Middle East |
|---|---|
| Original language | Chinese |
| Journal | Journal of Beijing Film Academy |
| Volume | 2017 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 106-117 |
| ISSN | 1002-6142 |
| Publication status | Published - Mar 2017 |