Bethlehem Cultural Festival: Palestine Short Films + Q&A
Bethlehem Cultural Festival presents Palestine: Five Short Films + Q&A. These films, created and directed by Palestinians, give insight into the stories of generations living under occupation. Join us as we hear conversations in the kitchens of refugee camps, witness families fleeing the Israeli Defence Force, and experience the unimaginable choices they are forced to make.
Palestine Islands
Maha, a 12-year-old girl, is part of the final generation of Palestinian refugees from the Balata Camp. After seeing her blind grandfather faint, she imagines a crazy project: to make him believe that the Wall of Separation has fallen, thereby making a return to his native land possible. With the help of her friends from the camp, the young girl plans a fun trip for him.
Year: 2023
Director(s): Julien Menanteau & Nour Ben Salem
Run time: 22mins
Age cert/warnings: Unclassified 15
Palestine 87
A man fleeing the Israeli army during the First Palestinian Intifada is sheltered by two strangers who prevent his capture.
Year: 2022
Director(s): Bilal Alkhatib
Run time: 14mins
Age cert/warnings: No rating
The Deer’s Tooth
A young man in a refugee camp sets out on a perilous journey to fulfil his little brother’s wish: to throw his baby tooth into the sea.
Year: 2024
Director(s): Saif Hammash
Run time: 16 mins
Age cert/warnings: No rating
Blood Like Water
Shadi embarks on a secret adventure, and accidentally drags his family into a trap where they only have two choices; either collaborate with the Israeli occupation, or be shamed and humiliated by their own people. Based on true stories.
Year: 2023
Director(s): Dima Hamdan
Run time: 15 mins
Age cert/warnings: No rating
An Orange From Jaffa
Mohammed, a young Palestinian, is desperately looking for a taxi to take him through an Israeli checkpoint. The driver, Farouk, discovers that Mohammed has already failed to cross the checkpoint. Trouble begins.
Year: 2024
Director(s): Mohammed Almughanni
Run time: 27 mins
Age cert/warnings: No rating
Bios
Abdelfattah Abusrour, PhD
Abdelfattah Abusrour is founder and director of Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, established in 1998 in Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem. His concept and philosophy “Beautiful Resistance”, focuses on using performing and visual arts, culture and education, as a creative and peaceful expression in situations of oppression and trauma to provide possibilities to save lives and inspire hope and build peace within individuals to be peace builders in their communities and beyond.
Abusrour is an author, actor, and theatre director, with a PhD in Biological and Medical Engineering from France in 1993. In 2005, he abandoned his career in Biology because he believed in the power of arts and culture as pure humanity where stereotypes vanish and people are on equal grounds. These are the bridges that people can build together as equals to shape a better future for all the generations to come.
Dr Cairsti Russell
Dr Cairsti Russell is a Media Sociologist at the University of Glasgow and member of the Glasgow University Media Group, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also part of the Bethlehem Cultural Festival’s Glasgow marketing and programming team. A large part of Cairsti’s work explores media and public belief, particularly in relation to Israel and Palestine. Her first feature documentary Freedom to Run explores the restrictions on freedom of movement in Palestine through the lens of marathon running.
