37/40
The house you live in is being demolished by a bulldozer
Scenario
This film, made by a Palestinian-Israeli team, depicts the destruction of the occupied West Bank Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance that develops between Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval.. Just imagine. Imagine you have a choice: live in a cave or build a new house. Imagine having to watch a new house being destroyed by bulldozers.
The film hits you like a punch in the stomach
This is what was documented in the movie “No Second Earth” and it makes your blood boil. The film shows how a village in the West Bank is systematically destroyed by the Israeli invaders. Its inhabitants resist, organize protests and initiate court processes, but nothing can stop the process. Many of the shots were taken with small hand-held cameras or smartphones, which gives them a real authenticity.
Although friendship is probably not the right word
Another strength of the film is that it documents not only the demolition of the buildings, but also the friendship between the Palestinian activist Basel and the Israeli journalist Yuval, who wants to draw public attention to the injustice. They are colleagues and brothers in arms, but the difference between them is always felt. “You have to learn to lose,” Basel tells Yuval when the reporter notes that his stories aren’t particularly interesting. “We have been at war for decades, you cannot change the situation in a few days.
The film has a huge emotional impact
Yuval’s participation gives the film an extra layer. For the Palestinians, he will always be the “Jehovah” on the other side, who can return home to his comfortable life. But as far as his fellow Israelis are concerned, he sympathizes with the enemy, and they accuse him of participating in Palestinian activism. The film contains quiet moments when Basel and Yuval discuss the situation in front of an open fire or smoke a hookah, but also shocking footage of villagers shooting, in one case paralyzing the victim and leading him to a miserable life without proper care.
The filmmakers stopped filming in October 2023, when everything changed in Israel and Palestine
It reminded me of similar documentaries, such as “For Sam” or “20 days in Mariupol”. Of course, the events of the last 12 months give the film additional relevance. We know that the village is a symbol of much greater injustice, bloodshed and cruelty. And we also know that now it is not just homes that have been destroyed, but also the lives of thousands of innocent people.