Cinema of Palestine refers to films made in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

and/or by

Palestinian Palestinians () are an Arab ethnonational group native to the Levantine region of Palestine. *: "Palestine was part of the first wave of conquest following Muhammad's death in 632 CE; Jerusalem fell to the Caliph Umar in 638. The indigenous p ...

filmmakers. Palestinian films are not exclusively produced in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

and some are produced in English and French.

History

The first period: The beginning, 1935–1948

left, Villagers of Halhul waiting for an open-air film show, around 1940 The first Palestinian film to be made is generally believed to be a documentary on King

Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted as 1876, although a few sources give it as 1880. According to British author Robert Lacey's book ''The Kingdom'', ...

's visit in 1935 to

Mandatory Palestine Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine. After ...

, made by Ibrahim Hassan Sirhan (or Serhan), based in

Jaffa Jaffa (, ; , ), also called Japho, Joppa or Joppe in English, is an ancient Levantine Sea, Levantine port city which is part of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel, located in its southern part. The city sits atop a naturally elevated outcrop on ...

.Gertz and Khleifi, p. 13 Sirhan followed the King and around Mandatory Palestine, "from Lod to

and from Jaffa to

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

". The result was a

silent movie ''Silent Movie'' is a 1976 American satirical silent comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Mel Brooks, released by 20th Century Fox in summer 1976. The ensemble cast includes Dom DeLuise, Marty Feldman, Bernadette Peters, and S ...

that was presented at the Nabi Rubin festivals. Following this documentary, Sirhan joined Jamal al-Asphar to produce a 45-minute film called ''The Realized Dreams'', aiming to "promote the orphans' cause". Sirhan and al-Asphar also produced a documentary about Ahmad Hilmi Pasha, a member of the Higher Arab Commission. In 1945 Sirhan established the Arab Film Company with Ahmad Hilmi al-Kilani. The company launched the feature film ''Holiday Eve'', which was followed by preparations for the next film ''A Storm at Home''. The films themselves were lost in 1948, when Sirhan had to flee Jaffa after the town was bombarded.

The second period: The epoch of silence, 1948–1967

The 1948 Palestinian expulsion and flight (known in Arabic as the

Nakba The Nakba () is the ethnic cleansing; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; of Palestinian Arabs through their violent displacement and dispossession of land, property, and belongings, along with the destruction of their s ...

) had a devastating effect on Palestinian society, including its nascent film industry. Cinematic endeavours, requiring infrastructure, professional crews, and finance, nearly ceased for two decades. Individual Palestinian participated in the film-production of neighbouring countries. It is reported that Sirhan was involved with the production of the first Jordanian feature film, ''The Struggle in Jarash'' (1957), and another Palestinian, Abdallah Ka'wash, directed the second Jordanian feature film, ''My Homeland, My Love'', in 1964.

The third period: Cinema in exile, 1968–1982

After 1967, Palestinian cinema found itself under the auspices of the

PLO The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ) is a Palestinian nationalist coalition that is internationally recognized as the official representative of the Palestinian people in both the occupied Palestinian territories and the diaspora. ...

, funded by

Fatah Fatah ( ; ), formally the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (), is a Palestinian nationalist and Arab socialist political party. It is the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...

and other Palestinian organisations like PFLP and DFLP. More than 60 films were made in this period, mostly documentaries. The first film festival dedicated to Palestinian films was held in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

in 1973, and Baghdad also hosted the next two Palestinian film festivals, in 1976 and 1980.

Mustafa Abu Ali Mustafa Abu Ali (; 1940 in Malha, Maliha, Mandatory Palestine – 30 July 2009 in Jerusalem) was a Palestinian people, Palestinian filmmaker. Abu Ali studied at the University of California-Berkeley in the 1960s before studying cinema in London ...

was one of the early Palestinian film directors, and he helped found the Palestinian Cinema Association in

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

in 1973. Only one dramatic movie was made during the period, namely ''Return to Haifa'' in 1982, an adaptation of a short novel by

Ghassan Kanafani Ghassan Fayiz Kanafani (; 8 April 1936 – 8 July 1972) was a prominent Palestinian literature, Palestinian author and Palestinian militant, militant, considered to be a leading novelist of his generation and one of the Arab world's leading Pa ...

The film archives disappearance, 1982

Different organisations set up

archives An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials, in any medium, or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organ ...

for Palestinian films. The largest such archive was run by

's Film Foundation/Palestinian Film Unit. In 1982, when the PLO was forced out of

, the archive was put into storage (in the Red Crescenty Hospital), from where it "disappeared" under circumstances which are still unclear. Recently, several films from the archive were located in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

Archive in Tel HaShomer by scholar and curator Rona Sela. Sela has called for the release of these films, and for the declassification of other Palestinian films that remain closed in the IDF Archive.

The fourth period: The return home, from 1980 to the present

In 1987, there was the first Intifada, and this led to an increase in news coverage in Palestine, showcasing their occupation. This is when filmmakers started getting back up to make more films, in documentarian style, as they were given the understanding of film techniques through these news reporters. This is when a new era of Palestinian cinema emerged. Focusing on Israeli occupation and Palestinian experiences, it differed from their previous focus on exile during the PLO days. There were also “emergency films” and “roadblock films” which called spectators to action on behalf of Palestinians’ struggles and the other genre categorized for its use of checkpoints in its films. Now in the 2000s, Palestinian cinema is re focused on collective resistance from Israeli forces. The 1996

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

'' Chronicle of a Disappearance,'' from Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman, received international critical acclaim, and it became the first Palestinian movie to receive national release in the United States. A break-out film for its genre, it won a New Director's Prize at the

Seattle International Film Festival The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is a film festival held annually in Seattle, Washington, United States, since 1976. It usually takes place in late May and/or early June. It is one of the largest festivals in the world, and feature ...

and a Luigi De Laurentiis Award at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

. Notable film directors of this period include Michel Khleifi, Rashid Masharawi, Ali Nassar and Elia Suleiman. An international effort was launched in 2008 to reopen Cinema Jenin, a cinema located in the

Jenin Jenin ( ; , ) is a city in the West Bank, Palestine, and is the capital of the Jenin Governorate. It is a hub for the surrounding towns. Jenin came under Israeli occupied territories, Israeli occupation in 1967, and was put under the administra ...

Refugee Camp. In 2008, three Palestinian feature films and an estimated eight shorts were completed, more than ever before. In 2010,

Hamas The Islamic Resistance Movement, abbreviated Hamas (the Arabic acronym from ), is a Palestinian nationalist Sunni Islam, Sunni Islamism, Islamist political organisation with a military wing, the Qassam Brigades. It has Gaza Strip under Hama ...

, the governing authority in the

Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip, also known simply as Gaza, is a small territory located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea; it is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank, that make up the State of Palestine. I ...

, announced the completion of a new film. Titled ''The Great Liberation'', the film depicts the destruction of Israel by Palestinians. Currently in the Gaza Strip, all film projects must be approved by Hamas' Culture Ministry before they can be screened in public. Independent filmmakers have claimed that the Culture Ministry cracks down on content not conforming to Hamas edicts. In a notable 2010 case, Hamas banned the short film ''Something Sweet'', directed by Khalil al-Muzzayen, which was submitted at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

. Hamas banned it from being shown locally due to a four-second scene where a woman is shown with her hair uncovered. In 2011, a film festival hosted by the Gaza Women's Affairs Center included documentaries and fictional pieces on women's issues, but the Culture Ministry censored numerous scenes. One film had to remove a scene where a woman lowered one shoulder of her dress, and another had to remove a scene of a man swearing. Films from Palestine have been broadcast internationally through services such as

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

Name

In contrast to the way some other locations with associations to film industry are named in casual parlance, the term '' Pallywood'' has only derogatory acceptions.

Notable directors

220px,

farmer and filmmaker.

Notable films

* ''A World Not Ours'
Alam laysa lana
* '' They Don't Exist'
Coming Home: Palestinian Cinema
* '' Wedding in Galilee'' (1987) ( International Critics Prize, Cannes), * '' Tale of the Three Jewels'' (1994) * '' Chronicle of a Disappearance'' (1996) (“Luigi De Laurentiis” Award for a Debut Film at the 1996

) * ''

Divine Intervention Divine intervention is an event that occurs when a deity (i.e. God or gods) becomes actively involved in changing some situation in human affairs. In contrast to other kinds of divine action, the expression "divine ''intervention''" implies that ...

'' (2003). * '' Olive Harvest, The'' (2003) * '' Arna's Children'' (2003) * '' Jeremy Hardy vs. the Israeli Army'' (2004) * ''Women in Struggle'' (2004) * ''Waiting'' (2005) * '' Paradise Now'' (2006) ( Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film winner) * '' The Color of Olives'' (2006) * '' Iron Wall'' (2006) * '' Goal Dreams'' (2006) * '' First Picture'' (2006) * '' The Sons of Eilaboun'' (2007) * ''Maria's Grotto'' (2007) (Silver Muhr Award, Dubai International Film Festival) * ''Kaffa''! (2007) (Silver Award for Short Film, Cairo International TV and Media Festival)(Gold Award for Best Script, Tunis International TV and Media Festival) * '' Salt of this Sea'' (2008) * ''Taste the Revolution'' (2008) * ''The View'' (2008) (Best Short Film ($75,000), Middle East International Film Festival) * ''Till When?'' (2008) (Officially selected in Cergy Pontoise Film Festival in Paris, Honorable Mention in Digicon 6 Festival in Tokyo) * ''Spider Web'' (2009) * ''Beyond the Sun'' (2010) (Audience Choice, Bagdad International Film Festival) * ''The Uppercut'' (2012), a short documentary shot in Jordan telling a story of a slum kickboxing club * ''Solomon's Stone'' (film) (2015) * ''The Present'' (2020) (nominated for the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for best Live Action Short Film, won the

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...

for Best Short Film.) * ''The Teacher'' ''(2023) (Best International Film at

Galway Film Fleadh The Galway Film Fleadh (; Irish for "festival") is an international film festival founded in 1989 as part of the Galway Arts Festival. Describing itself as Ireland’s leading film festival, the event is held every July in Galway city in Ire ...

and Audience Awards at

San Francisco International Film Festival The San Francisco International Film Festival (abbreviated as SFIFF), organized by SFFILM, is held each spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries. The festival highlights current trends in international film and vid ...

, Washington DC International Film Festival,

Brooklyn Film Festival The Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF), prior to 2011 called the Brooklyn International Film Festival (BiFF) is an independent film festival held every June in New York City. Started by Marco Ursino, Susan Mackell, Abe Schrager, and Mario Pegoraro in ...

, Kosmorama and Cyprus Film Days.)'' * '' No Other Land'' (2024) ( Best Documentary Feature Film at the Academy Awards, Berlinale Documentary Film Award and Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary Film, the

74th Berlin International Film Festival The 74th annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, took place between 15 and 25 February 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong'o was named the Jury President for the main competition. This ye ...

)

Notable film festivals

A

* Al Ard Film Festival (Cagliari, Sardinia)

B

Mostra de Cinema Àrab i Mediterrani de Catalunya (Arab and Mediterranean Film Festival of Catalonia) – Barcelona
* Boston Palestine Film Festival *Muestra de Cine Palestino de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires Palestine Film Festival)

C

* Chicago Palestine Film Festival

D

* DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival

H

Houston Palestine Film Festival

K

The Palestinian Film Festival - Kuwait

L

London Palestine Film Festival

M

Muestra de Cine Palestino de Madrid (Madrid Palestine Film Festival)Mizna's Twin Cities Arab Film FestivalFestival Cinéma Méditerranéen Montpellier (Montpellier Mediterranean Film Festival)

R

Al-Kasaba International Film Festival
in

Ramallah Ramallah ( , ; ) is a Palestinians, Palestinian city in the central West Bank, that serves as the administrative capital of the State of Palestine. It is situated on the Judaean Mountains, north of Jerusalem, at an average elevation of abov ...

West Bank The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...

S

*Muestra de Cine Palestino de Santiago (Santiago Palestine Film Festival) *Muestra de Cine Palestino de Sevilla (Sevilla Palestine Film Festival)
Singapore Palestine Film Festival

T

Toronto Palestine Film Festival

References

External links

* , an independent project founded to provide resources and information on Palestinian cinema. Based at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, United States.
Palestinian Film: News and Reviews at IMEU.net

Review of a film that explores the story of the lost archives of the PLO film unit

History and Trends in Palestinian Filmmaking

Finding aid to the Palestinian Films Collection, 1976-2008, at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
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