NEW YORK — Basel Adra, a Palestinian filmmaker, and Yuval Abraham, an Israeli collaborator, have dedicated five years to producing a documentary entitled “No Other Land,” which offers a glimpse into everyday life in Adra’s village under Israeli military occupation. The documentary has been prominently recognized as one of the strongest films of the year, earning accolades at various international film festivals.
Despite its critical acclaim, the film has sparked significant controversy, leading to death threats against its creators, and it currently lacks an American distributor. With its French release imminent and a UK release scheduled for next week, the documentary has already been acquired in several international markets. It remains a contender for the Academy Awards, with screenings planned for a week-long run at the Lincoln Center in New York to qualify for Oscar consideration. Adra and Abraham, however, believe that the absence of a U.S. distributor is tied to the nation’s political climate, particularly in light of the ongoing presidential race between Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
“Perhaps they fear being defunded if Trump is elected,” remarked Abraham during an interview in Paris alongside Adra. He emphasized how Adra has risked his life for years to capture the stories of his community, posing the question of why no distributor has had the courage to take on a project as significant and well-regarded as “No Other Land.”
The film traces its roots back to the early struggles in Gaza long before the recent escalation of violence. It predominantly captures Adra’s perspective, who hails from Masafer Yatta, a cluster of villages in the occupied West Bank that have been a hotbed of protests against the Israeli government. The region has a prolonged history of conflict, as Israeli authorities designated it a closed military training area, leading to forced evictions of local Palestinians.
Adra, whose father was an activist, was introduced to this world of struggle at a young age, participating in demonstrations from the age of five. Following a court ruling in 2022, the Israeli army intensified its presence, erecting checkpoints and demolishing community structures, including schools. Adra found solace in his camera, which he used to document the destruction and violent confrontations with settlers while capturing the impact on his community. He articulated, “I began filming when our situation began to decline,” highlighting the filming period spanning 2019 to 2023.
This documentary offers a sobering depiction of life under military rule, where families face displacement, children grow up in dire poverty, and lives are lost. Still, the filmmakers were unprepared for how much the circumstances would deteriorate. Produced by a Palestinian-Israeli collaborative team that includes directors Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, “No Other Land” finished filming just as the renewed conflict erupted following a Hamas attack on Israel.
On October 7, 2023, violence escalated as Hamas militants killed over 1,200 people in southern Israel, also taking numerous hostages. In retaliation, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have reportedly resulted in the deaths of over 43,000 Palestinians, with significantly high casualties among women and children, according to health officials. Additionally, the West Bank has witnessed a surge in violence, with over 760 fatalities since the onset of the conflict.
Abraham expressed the emotional turmoil he experiences while promoting a film amidst ongoing atrocities, stating, “It’s disheartening to screen our film in cozy theaters when there are daily massacres occurring.” The background of the current conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, along with the looming threat of a broader war with Iran, has complicated the narrative of “No Other Land,” which aims to humanize Palestinian suffering. The film has received accolades in festivals around the world, but for Adra, recognition feels hollow in the face of persistent adversity.
“It was important for us to create this film to preserve the legacy of Masafer Yatta,” Adra explained. While the film garners interest and acclaim, he remains deeply troubled by the deteriorating conditions on the ground, noting, “The movie’s success contrasts sharply with the worsening situation; it’s a conflict in my mind.”
Controversy surrounded the film after its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, where Adra’s acceptance speech highlighted the plight of his people amidst ongoing violence, prompting backlash from German politicians who deemed the comments one-sided. In response, Abraham shared that he faced death threats due to the backlash, stating, “We advocated for equality and called for an end to the occupation; this is the crucial message.”
At the heart of “No Other Land” is the relationship between Adra and Abraham, which they hope symbolizes the potential for Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. Together, they work to document military actions and confront the indifferent attention their efforts receive on social media. Their interactions reveal underlying tensions, especially regarding their differing experiences under civilian and military laws. Ballal, their Palestinian co-director, articulates skepticism about Abraham’s involvement, stating, “It could be your brother or friend who destroyed my home.”
As the film progresses, Abraham recognizes the necessity of mutual security in the region, asserting, “The status quo harms everyone; one cannot expect safety without freedom for Palestinians.” Even prior to the escalation of violence in Gaza, the duo faced challenges in bringing visibility to the struggles of Masafer Yatta. The desperate situation in Gaza has overshadowed their cause, leaving them with little room for optimism. Tragically, the aftermath of the October 7 violence claimed the life of Adra’s cousin at the hands of a settler, a moment captured in their documentary.
Film distributors have shown interest in “No Other Land,” yet many hesitate to take the plunge, with Abraham noting the mixed responses. This cautious approach echoes issues faced by other politically sensitive films, such as “The Apprentice” and “Union,” which also encountered distribution challenges.
Critics, like Bilge Ebiri, have pointed out that American distributors used to embrace controversial films centered on significant humanitarian issues but seem more reticent today. Abraham condemned the silencing of voices advocating for Palestinian resistance and Israeli opposition to the occupation, questioning, “Why are these perspectives being excluded from mainstream U.S. cinema?”
Regardless of the challenges they face in reaching a broader audience, Adra and Abraham aspire for “No Other Land” to serve as a critical testament to the ongoing crisis. “We aim to highlight how harmful the status quo is and advocate for change,” Adra concluded. “Global leaders must take action to halt the complicity with occupation. What’s unfolding is genuinely tragic; it’s beyond what I could have imagined happening in my lifetime.”