By Movie Walla | MOVIE |
The world had just witnessed a 11-day Israel bombardment of Gaza which killed more than 250 people, including 66 children. The world watched in horror as Israel unleashed its disproportionate response to its beleaguered Palestinian neighbour.
The attack was in response to Hamas, the Palestinian group that rules the strip facing the Mediterranean Sea, fired several rockets at Israel on May 10 following the expiration of the group’s ultimatum demanding Israel stand down its security forces from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
How is life for the Palestinians?
A short film “The Present” from Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi, which has debuted on streaming service Netflix, gives us a glimpse of the daily hardship they face.
The film is set in the West Bank and sheds light on how Palestinians are deprived of the basic right to freedom of movement.
On his wedding anniversary, Yusef (played by renowned actor Saleh Bakri) and his young daughter set out in the West Bank to buy his wife a gift. Between soldiers, segregated roads and checkpoints, how easy would it be to go shopping? It’s probably not your typical day.
The scene at Checkpoint 300 that separates Bethlehem and Jerusalem hits you hard. Here, you are on ground zero, and you come face to face with the humiliation that Palestinians have to stomach.
The short film won the Audience Award for Best Film at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2020 (World premiere), the Jury Award for Best Live Action Short at the Cleveland International Film Festival (North American premiere),
The film was directed by Farah Nabulsi, a Palestinian British Oscar nominated and BAFTA award-winning filmmaker and human rights advocate.
She is the daughter of Palestinians who were fortunate enough to make a home in 1970’s Britain — unlike the millions who continue to remain stateless in refugee camps, according to her website.
She has created a digital resource to deconstruct the Israeli military occupation of Palestine in a way never done before.
Do catch The Present. It will break your heart.
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“The world watched in horror as Israel unleashed its disproportionate response to its beleaguered Palestinian neighbour.”
So, if Palestine (Hamas) first killed 10 Israelis and then Israel retaliated by killing 10 or less Palestinians, then, I suppose Israel’s response would not be considered as “disproportionate”.
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