No Other Land wins Oscar for best documentary

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“No Other Land,” a documentary depicting Palestinian activists striving to prevent their communities from being demolished by the Israeli military, secured the Oscar for Best Documentary on Sunday, reports AP.

The film, a joint effort between Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, follows activist Basel Adra as he risks arrest while documenting the destruction of his hometown at the southern edge of the West Bank. Israeli soldiers are demolishing the area to repurpose it as a military training zone. Adra’s pleas go unheard until he forms a connection with a Jewish Israeli journalist who helps amplify his story.

 “We made this film as Palestinians and Israelis because, together, our voices are stronger,” said Israeli journalist and filmmaker Yuval Abraham. During his acceptance speech, he criticised his country's government for what he described as “the atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people.” He also called on Hamas to release all Israeli hostages.

“No Other Land” entered the night as a strong contender after a successful film festival run. Despite securing distribution in 24 countries, it did not find a U.S. distributor. It won the Oscar against competitors “Porcelain War,” “Sugarcane,” “Black Box Diaries,” and “Soundtrack to a Coup d’État.”

Filmed over four years from 2019 to 2023, production concluded just days before Hamas launched its deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza.

In the documentary, Abraham embeds himself in a community resisting displacement but encounters resistance from Palestinians who highlight his privileges as an Israeli citizen. Adra states that he is confined to the West Bank and treated as a criminal, whereas Abraham has the freedom to move as he pleases.

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“When I look at Basel, I see my brother, but we are unequal,” Abraham said on stage. “We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law, while Basel is subject to military laws that destroy his life. There is an alternative—a political solution that rejects ethnic supremacy and ensures national rights for both our peoples.”

He also criticised United States foreign policy under President Donald Trump, stating that it “is helping to block this path.”

The documentary heavily relies on camcorder footage from Adra’s personal archive. His recordings show Israeli soldiers bulldozing the village school and sealing water wells with cement to prevent reconstruction.

In Masafer Yatta, a small and rugged region, residents rally together after Adra films an Israeli soldier shooting a local man protesting the demolition of his home. The man is left paralysed, and his mother struggles to care for him while living in a cave.

 “About two months ago, I became a father,” Adra said on Sunday. “My hope for my daughter is that she will not have to endure the life I am living now—constantly fearing settlers, violence, home demolitions, and forcible displacement. We call on the world to take meaningful action.” – AP/UNB