Egypt Daily News – The film “No Other Land”, which explores the displacement of Palestinians by Israelis, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature on Monday in Los Angeles. It was co-directed by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
The documentary took five years to produce and depicts Israeli soldiers demolishing homes and evicting residents to establish a military training zone, as well as violent attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian communities.
The film highlights the starkly different realities experienced by the two friends—Abraham, with his Israeli yellow license plate, can travel freely, while Adra remains trapped in an ever-shrinking space for Palestinians.
In their acceptance speech, the filmmakers urged the world to help end the conflict and accused the United States of obstructing a resolution.
Adra stated, “No Other Land reflects the harsh reality we have endured for decades and continue to resist. We call on the world to take serious action to stop the injustice and end the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
Standing beside him, Abraham added, “We made this film—Palestinians and Israelis—because our voices are stronger together. We see each other, and we see the brutal devastation that has befallen Gaza and its people, which must end. We also see the Israeli hostages who were brutally taken on October 7th, and they must be released.”
He continued, “When I look at Basel, I see my brother, but we are not equal. We live under a system where I am free under civil law, while Basel is subjected to military law that destroys his life and leaves him with no control over it.”
Abraham stated, “There is a different path—a political solution without ethnic superiority, ensuring the national rights of both our peoples. And I must say, while standing here, that this country’s foreign policy is contributing to blocking that path.”
He concluded, “Why? Don’t you see that our lives are intertwined? That my people can only truly be safe if Basel’s people are truly free and secure? There is another way. It is not too late for life.”
Israeli Minister Condemns the Film as a “Sad Moment for Cinema”
Last month, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Palestinians to emigrate from Gaza to countries like Egypt and Jordan was widely condemned across the Middle East and beyond, with critics warning it would dangerously destabilize the region.
Israeli Minister of Culture Miki Zohar expressed regret over the film’s Oscar win, calling it a “sad moment for cinema.” He claimed the film presented a distorted view of Israel, which he said is still suffering from the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.
Zohar wrote on X, “Freedom of expression is important, but using defamation against Israel as an international promotional tool harms the country. After the October 7 massacre and the ongoing war, this is doubly painful.”
Despite winning major awards in Europe and the United States, Abraham told Deadline last month that the film has yet to secure a distribution deal in the U.S.
When asked why he believed American distributors were avoiding the film, Abraham responded, “It seems to me for political reasons.”
