February 5, 2025
FILM: NO OTHER LAND
DIRECTED BY: YUVAL ABRAHAM, BASEL ADRA, HAMDAN BALLAL
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
We hear about the struggles. We hear about the death and destruction. However, rarely do we get face to face with those involved in the continued conflicts between Palestine and Israel as we do in the new Oscar-nominated documentary No Other Land. This is a very powerful film that takes us directly into the lives of villagers in the West Bank region of Masafer Yatta. Cameras capture bulldozers destroying homes and schools on a regular basis from 2019 to 2023. The film is made possible by the alliance formed between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist. Their goal is to capture as much of the destruction as possible to alert the media about the atrocities being committed.
That is the larger story being tracked here and it is quite devastating to watch. This is mostly because the Israeli military comes across as an unstoppable force that has bullied its way into this region. They claim the land is their own and will be used for training exercises. There is no sympathy for the villagers who are left without homes and access to basic necessities such as water. The Palestinians protest but they are pushed further and further back. Cameras capture shootings, grenades being thrown, and at least one man getting seriously wounded as his mother watches. The Israeli journalist, Yuval, is the only voice we get from the other side but he is in full cooperation with Palestinian activist Basel Adra to document everything that is happening. They are both seeking truth. There is never a moment when we hear anything other than orders being barked at them by the Israeli military and no sense of the military’s understanding of what is happening to the Palestinians.
As such, this is one perspective on the conflicts in the region being told with footage that can’t lie. It’s all there in front of them (and us, as we view what they shot.) During some of the most intense scenes, the filmmakers are running with their cameras capturing complete chaos. Children clearly don’t understand and adults cry out in condemnation of all that is happening to them. The only issue is that it is often hard to discern who exactly is holding or running with the camera.
The alliance between Yuval and Basel are the center and heart of the film though.
Their interactions and goals are completely in line with each other, even though they originate from opposing sides. There’s warmth to their connection that is very palpable. Some of the best moments in the film occur when they have quiet moments alone together discussing their thoughts and feelings on what they are experiencing. Yuval is particularly comforting and comes across as a true friend to Basel as he becomes increasingly exhausted by the constant battle. Their relationship is a microcosm of what could be between Israel and Palestine.
The documenting of these events ends in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel and then Israel retaliated with even greater force and destruction. That, of course, would be a whole other film. For now, No Other Land illustrates the inhumane actions that occur within this region and the pain and suffering every day people have to endure. Sure, some of it is hard to watch but the connection between Yuval and Basel suggests some level of hope underneath all of the destruction.
No Other Land is a frontrunner for this year’s Best Documentary Feature Oscar. It opens theatrically this week.
FILM: NO OTHER LAND
DIRECTED BY: YUVAL ABRAHAM, BASEL ADRA, HAMDAN BALLAL
RATING: 3 ½ out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
We hear about the struggles. We hear about the death and destruction. However, rarely do we get face to face with those involved in the continued conflicts between Palestine and Israel as we do in the new Oscar-nominated documentary No Other Land. This is a very powerful film that takes us directly into the lives of villagers in the West Bank region of Masafer Yatta. Cameras capture bulldozers destroying homes and schools on a regular basis from 2019 to 2023. The film is made possible by the alliance formed between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist. Their goal is to capture as much of the destruction as possible to alert the media about the atrocities being committed.
That is the larger story being tracked here and it is quite devastating to watch. This is mostly because the Israeli military comes across as an unstoppable force that has bullied its way into this region. They claim the land is their own and will be used for training exercises. There is no sympathy for the villagers who are left without homes and access to basic necessities such as water. The Palestinians protest but they are pushed further and further back. Cameras capture shootings, grenades being thrown, and at least one man getting seriously wounded as his mother watches. The Israeli journalist, Yuval, is the only voice we get from the other side but he is in full cooperation with Palestinian activist Basel Adra to document everything that is happening. They are both seeking truth. There is never a moment when we hear anything other than orders being barked at them by the Israeli military and no sense of the military’s understanding of what is happening to the Palestinians.
As such, this is one perspective on the conflicts in the region being told with footage that can’t lie. It’s all there in front of them (and us, as we view what they shot.) During some of the most intense scenes, the filmmakers are running with their cameras capturing complete chaos. Children clearly don’t understand and adults cry out in condemnation of all that is happening to them. The only issue is that it is often hard to discern who exactly is holding or running with the camera.
The alliance between Yuval and Basel are the center and heart of the film though.
Their interactions and goals are completely in line with each other, even though they originate from opposing sides. There’s warmth to their connection that is very palpable. Some of the best moments in the film occur when they have quiet moments alone together discussing their thoughts and feelings on what they are experiencing. Yuval is particularly comforting and comes across as a true friend to Basel as he becomes increasingly exhausted by the constant battle. Their relationship is a microcosm of what could be between Israel and Palestine.
The documenting of these events ends in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel and then Israel retaliated with even greater force and destruction. That, of course, would be a whole other film. For now, No Other Land illustrates the inhumane actions that occur within this region and the pain and suffering every day people have to endure. Sure, some of it is hard to watch but the connection between Yuval and Basel suggests some level of hope underneath all of the destruction.
No Other Land is a frontrunner for this year’s Best Documentary Feature Oscar. It opens theatrically this week.