There was a time not that long ago when controversial documentaries like Michael Moore’s “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004), about the Bush administration’s ill-conceived response to the September 11 terrorist attacks, and Davis Guggenheim’s “An Inconvenient Truth” (2006), about Al Gore’s investigation into the dangers of global warming, not only received theatrical releases but were successful at the boxoffice.
But in today’s climate of political polarization, perhaps the most acclaimed non-fiction film of the year, “No Other Land,” a devastating look at Israel’s assault on the Palestinian population in the West Bank, has not, and is not likely to get theatrical or even online streaming distribution in the U.S., despite awards from the Berlin Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and an expected Academy Award nomination.
Perhaps it is a credit to the film’s immediacy and power that no one wants to touch it. However, it’s unfortunate that a film this good for both its subject matter and its artistic excellence, and one that should be essential viewing, will not have an opportunity to find an audience. Most importantly, people continue to suffer every day because of conditions presented in the film.
The film shows the systemic process through which the Israeli state and military are forcing Palestinians to leave their home so that government-backed settlements can take over their land. The area in question is in the Masafer Yatta region, home to some 20 historical communities in the southern part of the West Bank.
The villages in the region had been recorded on British maps going back to the 19th century, and many of the houses are built into ancient caves that dot the rocky terrain. This is not a paradise that is attracting Israeli settlers for its bounty, but rather it seems like a malicious attempt by the country to take over land that doesn’t belong to them just because it can. The legal basis for Israel’s occupation is a longstanding lawsuit brought by the Palestinians and decided by the Israeli High Court in 2022 after 22 years. It ruled that the Palestinians have no legal claim to this land where they have lived for so many years and the Israeli army could carry on with the expulsion. The land is ostensibly being reclaimed for use as a military training ground.
Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, was literally born into the conflict as his family was evicted from its home when he was 5 years old. By the time he was 7, he was on the front line of protests with his father. Over the last 10 years, as the situation became more volatile, Basel started filming frequent clashes with the Israeli army. Then in 2019 he meets Israeli journalist and lawyer Yuval Abraham and along with Israeli cinematographer Rachel Szor and Palestinian farmer and photographer, Hamdan Ballal, they proceed to assemble the pieces of what would become “No Other Land” for 5 years.
Remarkable footage of the army’s incursions into this land is recorded at great personal risk. It is not all at once or linear but the endgame is painfully clear despite local resistance and protests. For Basel and Yuval their only weapon is to shoot footage in the hopes of calling attention to the occupation and winning allies in the West. Graphic scenes shot as cameramen are chased and beaten give the film a physicality as images actually roll and tumble.
Some of the scenes left me shaking my head with disbelief. Regardless of the reasons or justifications, people should not be treated this way. Bulldozers are not only coming to destroy homes over the cries of desperate mothers, but they raze a children’s playground, a scene that would be almost comical if it wasn’t so tragic. Perhaps the most disturbing image is when a convoy of bulldozers arrives to tear down an elementary school with the kids still inside. And then the ultimate blow: the army comes and cuts off the water supply and paves over the well. At this point, Israeli settlers arrive not with sticks and stones, as they had in the past, but guns.
The footage ends in 2023 with some residents packing their goats and belongings into trucks with an uncertain future. And after the events of October 6, attacks will likely escalate. It’s clear that the army just wants the Palestinians to leave but there are no provisions made for where they should go.
If this all sounds grim, it is, but it is also a human story about real people. The filmmakers utilize a lively and engaging cast of characters to humanize the doc. Foremost among them are Basel and Yuval, who in another life could have been brothers. The evolution of their trust and friendship gives the film an added dimension. Basel is constantly on the verge of being apprehended and arrested, but even amidst the chaos his mother reminds him to have something to eat before he goes to jail and to wear something warm.
“No Other Land” is effective not just because of the story it tells but the quality of the filmmaking. The directors collectively made editorial decisions, assisted by veteran editor Anne Fabini. It moves with the crackling energy of an action film. And even the framing of shots is expertly done. The result is a visual and emotional powerhouse.
The title of the film comes from a mother’s plea when a soldier is evicting her family from their house. Appealing to his inherent humanity, she says we have “no other land.” It’s obviously a complex geopolitical problem that the film wisely does not try to solve. All that it’s saying is that these people deserve a place to live in peace.