Oscar contender on Palestinians angers both sides

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The Associated Press limits, and that ultimately Israel must take advantage BILIN, West Bank - An of its military superiority to seek peace. Oscar-nominated , documentary about this West The projects expose a contradiction in Israeli Bank hamlet has managed to infuriate people on both society.

While the military rules over millions of Palsides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide. estinians, the government In Israel, some are ask- funds a vibrant arts scene ing why the government that is often scathing in its helped fund a film so scath- criticism of official policy. ing in its criticism ofits own Many here wonder why the government would want policies, while Palestinians are shocked that the film is to be party to projects that winning accolades for be- make it look so bad. ing "Israeli" Almagor, a right-wing "Five Broken Cameras Israeli group that repre sents families who have is the story of a yearslong lost loved ones to Palestinstruggle by residents of ian violence, described the Bilin to wrest their village lands back from Israel's film as "incitement." It said the documentary demonmilitary.

The title refers to the izes Israeli soldiers and is number of cameras that anti-Semitic at times. the main protagonist, PalOthers, though, say such estinian filmmaker Emad films are a badge of honor.

Burnat, had broken by IsDanny Danon, a hard-line raeli forces as he sought memberof theruling Likud to film weekly demonstra- Party, said funding critical movies underscores the •tions against the military. vibrancy of Israel's democResidents were protesting the seizure of about half the racy, even if it provides amvillage lands to construct a munition for critics.

"I think there will be separation barrier running through parts of the West groups who are against IsBank. rael no matter what," Danon said. "This is one examThe $400,000 documentary was made with conple of the price of keeping tributions from Israeli and a strong democracy. We are French film funds.

It is the not interfering in the conlatest in a series of welltents of the movies that are received movies that are being produced in Israel." highly critical of Israeli govThe documentary's protagonists are ernment policies toward dismayed that the film is affiliated the Palestinians, yet also funded with state money. with Israel.

Even though Another Israeli-funded the Academy does not clasdocumentary, "The Gatesify nominees in the docukeepers," has also been mentary feature category nominated for an Oscar. by country, Israeli officials That film interviews the have pitched "Five Broken former heads of Israel's Cameras" as their own at internal security service the Oscars.

Palestinians about how they suppressed said they did not want IsPalestinians over the de- raelis to take credit for a cades in the West Bank and film that documents how Gaza Strip. Their message they have suffered at the is that military force has its hands of the military.

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"Oscar contender on Palestinians angers both sides," Opelika Auburn News, 11 February 2023. Covering Palestine archive, CP-2023-090. https://coveringpalestine.org/archive/cp-2023-090