Annemarie Jacir's 'Palestine 36' Criticized for Clichés and Heroic Tropes

Annemarie Jacir's film 'Palestine 36' is the first fictional feature to address the Arab revolts in 1930s Palestine, focusing on the village of Al-Basam. The film depicts Palestinian farmers being cheated out of their land and harassed by British colonial forces, leading to guerrilla attacks and bombings in cities. However, the portrayal of the British is criticized as clichéd, especially Captain Wingate (Robert Aramayo) who is shown as sadistic. Real historical figures like High Commissioner Wauchope (Jeremy Irons) appear, but Jewish settlers are depicted only as anonymous figures building watchtowers or shooting. The film's climax turns into a kitschy martyrdom scene where Yusuf Al Bassawi (Karim Daoud Anaya) deliberately walks into gunfire after throwing a grenade. The press kit refers to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, as a simple 'attack'.