In a cinematic milestone that brings people together, Israeli-Palestinian documentary No Other Land has won Best Documentary Film at the 97th Oscars in Los Angeles. The film, directed by Israeli reporter Yuval Abraham and Palestinian reporter Basel Adra, is a moving portrayal of life under occupation in Masafar Yatta, a West Bank town. The triumph is not one of low-budget filmmaking, but of how stories born of struggle and grit remain timeless.
The journey to this acclaim was not traditional. Though bereft of distribution in America—a curse that sidelines many foreign-language films—No Other Land was screened overseas because of its realistic storytelling and brutal portrayal of reality. The movie is replete with much of the movie going right back to Adra’s childhood, documenting his activist father’s tireless battles with Israeli settlers and Israeli soldiers intent on Palestinian land confiscation. In tight shots and firsthand accounts, the movie reveals the people’s price of decades of war, addressing squarely issues of justice and identity outside of boundaries.
This latest triumph follows another major win at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in February last year, where Abraham and Adra first ignited controversy during their acceptance speech. Addressing the audience, Abraham delivered a searing indictment of the status quo: “I am free to move where I want in this land, but Basel, like millions of Palestinians, is locked in the occupied West Bank. “There must come an end to this situation of apartheid between us, this inequality.”
The comments took Germany’s cultural establishment by storm and drew heavy political criticism, branding the filmmakers as antisemitic. The backlash, rather than silencing them, ended up strengthening the filmmakers’ message and opening up the debate on artistic freedom, censorship, and the power of film as a means of protest. To Abraham and Adra, the backlash only served to enforce their belief that it is important to tell stories that are going untold, even when they will challenge the accepted narratives.
No Other Land
At its heart, No Other Land is not just a documentary; it is testament to cooperation across divisions that seem too great to bridge. Through the collaboration of Abraham, an Israeli journalist, and Adra, a Palestinian filmmaker, the film bears the weight of both the complexity and possibility of coexistence. Their combined efforts lend credibility to the whole, which is based deeply in the realms of personal experience rather than just theoretical politics.
Winning the Academy Award at a time when conversations surrounding Palestine are more polarized than ever before was an undeniable will. In so doing, No Other Land sheds light on the quotidian realities of communities like Masafar Yatta, confronting its viewers with some very uncomfortable truths. Occupation, forced displacement, and systemic inequalities: for these truths, the film leaves the global audience with a very heavy challenge of unpacking.
During their Academy Award acceptance Abraham and Adra delivered their remarks with equal passion which they had shown during their first speeches. The words Adra strictly conveyed this message to his audience at the Oscars: “Our story serves as a starting point to take meaningful action.” This recognition serves as a foundation to motivate people into active work and intent listening and observational behaviors.
Through its success the film delivers hope to many viewers about how art can overcome challenges to energize positive change. The divergent reactions to No Other Land confirm its long-lasting effects on global perspectives about conflicts faced by people who endure military occupation.
