Palestinian documentaries at SAFAR Film Festival document violence and resistance
The 2024 edition of the SAFAR Film Festival spotlighted Palestinian cinema, showcasing Mohammad Bakri's 2002 documentary 'Jenin, Jenin' alongside Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi's 2024 film 'A State of Passion'. Bakri's documentary examines the aftermath of the Battle of Jenin, where more than 50 Palestinians lost their lives, emphasizing the violence perpetrated by Israeli forces. Meanwhile, 'A State of Passion' portrays British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu-Sittah's experiences over 45 days in Gaza, reflecting personal tragedies. Both films confront the portrayal of Palestinians as terrorists while neglecting the violence from Israel. The festival took place across nine UK cities and featured films from Lebanon and Syria. Simultaneously, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper prohibited Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act. Since October 7, 2023, violence in Gaza has intensified, echoing the atrocities in Jenin.
Key facts
- Mohammad Bakri's documentary 'Jenin, Jenin' was made in 2002 after the Battle of Jenin.
- Over 50 Palestinians were killed and hundreds of houses destroyed in the 2002 Israeli assault on Jenin.
- The Jenin refugee camp was established in 1953 in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
- The Israeli government refused a UN fact-finding mission entry to Jenin in 2002.
- SAFAR Film Festival's 2024 edition focused on Palestinian cinema across nine UK cities.
- Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi's 'A State of Passion' (2024) follows surgeon Ghassan Abu-Sittah in Gaza.
- Ghassan Abu-Sittah worked at Al-Shifa and Al-Ahli hospitals in Gaza for 45 days.
- UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper proscribed Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act.
Entities
Artists
- Mohammad Bakri
- Carol Mansour
- Muna Khalidi
- Ghassan Abu-Sittah
- Dima
- Edward Said
- Golda Meir
- Akshi Singh
Institutions
- SAFAR Film Festival
- United Nations
- International Criminal Court
- Ghassan Abu Sittah Children's Fund
- Home Department (UK)
- Palestine Action
- Elbit Systems
- ArtReview
Locations
- Jenin
- West Bank
- Gaza
- London
- Glasgow
- United Kingdom
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Saudi Arabia
- Egypt
- Sudan
- Israel
- Palestine