Kamal Aljafari's Films Explore Jaffa's Disappearance and Palestinian Memory

Kamal Aljafari’s films, The Roof (2006) and Port of Memory (2009), delve into the disappearance of Palestinian spaces in Jaffa through intimate storytelling. In The Roof, the missing roof symbolizes the vulnerability of Palestinian inhabitants, whereas Port of Memory portrays Aljafari’s uncle Salim confronting eviction by Israeli officials. Aljafari criticizes Hollywood and Israeli productions from the 1960s to 1980s, such as The Delta Force (1986), for neglecting Palestinian representation. His photographic project, In Praise of Bystanders (2011–), documents overlooked individuals. Both films will be showcased at Hackney Picture House in London on 29 March 2012 at 8 pm during the 2012 London Palestine Film Festival, followed by a Q&A session with Aljafari and curator Omar Kholeif. Aljafari distances himself from the term Palestinian cinema, instead redefining Jaffa's narrative through cinematic methods inspired by Robert Bresson.