Films & DVDs about Palestine/Israel

Documentaries, Dramas, Arts

(Films about Palestine are streamed here, here, here, and here.)

Documentaries

1948: Creation and Catastrophe. (2017). (1 hour, 25 minutes)

When Israel was created, it catastrophically affected Palestinians. This film draws on the personal recollections of Palestinians and Israelis, film footage, and historians’ insights, including those of Israeli historian, Ilan Pappé. Available through public libraries (e.g., on Kanopy).

5 Broken Cameras. (2012). (1 hour, 34 minutes)

Palestinian Emad Burnat co-directed this Oscar-nominated documentary. He was given his first camera in 2006 after the birth of a child and began to record life in the Palestinian village of Bil’in, located near an Israeli settlement on the West Bank. The film also chronicles the danger in filming in Palestine—Israelis destroyed five of his cameras. Available through public libraries (e.g., on Kanopy).

500 Dunam on the Moon. (2002). (48 minutes)

About the 1948 Israeli expulsion of Palestinian villagers living in Ayn Hawd. It was turned into an Israeli artist colony, Ein Hod. After the expulsion, the Palestinian villagers moved to a new location 1½ kilometers away, but their village has never been recognized by Israel and they do not receive any services. Available on Vimeo.

Advocate. (2019). (1 hour, 50 minutes)

This film focuses on Israeli lawyer, Lea Tsemel, who, since the early 1970s, has defended Palestinians in Israeli courts. She is both an attorney and an advocate for her Palestinian clients.  The movie is available from libraries (e.g., through Kanopy) and can be rented or purchased through various online sites (e.g., Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vimeo). 

Born in Gaza/Nacido en Gaza. (2015). (1 hour, 18 mins.)

This Spanish documentary was filmed in 2014, soon after the Israeli airstrike on Gaza that killed four young Palestinian boys who were playing soccer on the beach.  The film focuses powerfully on the impact of Israel’s actions on children.  Available on YouTube for a small rental fee.

Budrus. (2009). (1 hour, 12 minutes)

In this highly acclaimed documentary, Ayed Morrar organizes to save his village, Budrus, from destruction by Israel’s apartheid barrier. He unites different Palestinian political factions and his 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, organizes the women so that, together, villagers use nonviolent resistance to protect their lives and village. Available on YouTube.

Conquer and Divide. (2018).

The Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, put together this detailed, very effective, interactive map of the history of the occupation of Palestine by Israel. Available here.

The Easiest Target: The Israeli Policy of Strip Searching Women and Children. (2005). (13 minutes)

In this short documentary, five women (Palestinian, American, Muslim, Christian, Jewish) recount their humiliating experiences when strip-searched by Israeli border guards and airport security officials. View it on the If Americans Knew website (where there are lots of other interesting videos). Available here.

Flying Paper. (2014). (1 hour, 11 minutes)

Resilient Palestinian children in Gaza built and flew kites in an effort to break the Guinness World Record for the most kites ever flown at one time. This film, co-produced with a team of young filmmakers in Gaza, can be found on YouTube.

The Gatekeepers. (2012). (1 hour, 15 minutes)

This documentary is about the work of the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, as told from the perspective of six of its former heads. Includes archival coverage. Available on You Tube and Google Play.

How Are the Children Now?. (2018). (1 hour, 10 minutes)

This two-part film and accompanying curriculum is available through the United Church of Christ. It focuses on the atrocities that Palestinian children experience while living under Israeli occupation. Watch the film and get more information here.

Imprisoning a Generation. (2018). (50 minutes)

Israeli mistreatment of Palestinian children, including kidnapping, detaining, torturing, and abusing them is revealed in this film. It focuses on four children. Can be viewed here.

In the Image: Palestinian Women Capture the Occupation. (2014). (1 hour)

Palestinian women who are “citizen journalists” capture life under the Israeli occupation using video cameras provided by the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem. Can be viewed through local libraries (e.g., through Kanopy) or YouTube.

Israel’s Secret Weapon (nuclear arms and WMDs). (2003). (45 minutes)

First broadcast in the UK in 2003, this BBC documentary explores the history of Israel’s development of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, from the 1960s to the present day. It features the experiences of Israeli whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. A transcript of the film is available on The Electronic Intifada. Able to be viewed here.

Jerusalem: The East Side Story. (2007). (56 minutes)

This film by Mohammed Alatar is about the occupation of East Jerusalem and the continuing dispossession of native Palestinians. The film is available on Vimeo.

Kings of Capitol Hill. (2020). (88 minutes)

Christian evangelicals and AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) are both powerful lobbies that have huge influence on U.S. legislators and their support of Israel, as this documentary shows.  PBS was scheduled to show the documentary in April 2021, but pulled it after it was challenged by far-right organizations.  It is important to contact PBS and local stations and demand that the film be shown.

The Lab. (2013). (60 minutes)

Israel is the world’s third largest weapons manufacturer and exporter. This film is about the Israeli arms industry, how the occupation of Palestine has become a business, and how so many countries around the world are in cahoots with Israel. Find it here.

The Law in These Parts. (2011). (1 hour, 41 minutes)

This film is a powerful indictment of Israel’s military court system that deeply affects Palestinians. In Hebrew with English subtitles. Available on Amazon Prime.

Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege. (2022). (89 minutes)

Yarmouk is the largest Palestinian Refugee camp in the world; it is located in Syria and was stablished in 1957. In 2013, the Syrian government laid siege on Yarmouk. This film documents life for residents from 2011 to 2015, when the filmmaker, Abdallah Al-Khatib, who was born in Yarmouk, was expelled.

Little Town of Bethlehem. (2010). (1 hour, 17 minutes)

This film focuses on three young men (a Christian Palestinian, a Muslim Palestinian, and a Jewish Israeli) who are all involved in non-violent resistance in Palestine and Israel. Viewers may need some background knowledge to really appreciate the events that are addressed. Available here.

Michael Ratner’s Response to Bill de Blasio’s AIPAC speech. On therealnews.com. (2/2/14). (16 minutes)

In a speech to AIPAC, New York mayor Bill DeBlasio claimed a special U.S. relationship with Israel. His comments included, “As mayor of New York City, you have a friend and an ally at City Hall . . . when you need me to stand by you in Washington . . . that’s my job.” DeBlasio’s comments are included, followed by a critical response from Michael Ratner, President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights. Find it here.

Occupation 101. (2006). (1 hour, 30 minutes)

This is a powerful, historical exposition of the roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, life for Palestinians under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and major obstacles standing in the way of a lasting and viable peace. Available through public libraries (e.g., on Kanopy).

Occupation Has No Future. (2010). (1 hour, 24 minutes)

This is about the occupation of Palestine and the militarism that underpins Israeli society, as told initially by Israeli refusniks and shministim (12th graders who refuse to serve in the IDF), then by Palestinians living under occupation. Get more information here. Available on Amazon.

The Oslo Accords: Failure or Betrayal? (2023). (20 minutes)

Produced by Mondoweiss, in this short film, Palestinians comment on how the signing of the first Oslo Accords in 1993 has affected their lives and has made reaching statehood elusive. Availabe on You Tube. 

Palestine Is Still the Issue. (2002). (53 minutes)

This television documentary by John Pilger is a follow-up to the 1977 film he made with the same name. Pilger interviewed Palestinians and Israelis and filmed in Gaza and the West Bank. Available on You Tube or on Vimeo.

Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land. (2004). (1 hour, 20 minutes)

This film is about the role of U.S. media in providing biased, pro-Israel coverage of the Palestine/Israel conflict. Speakers include ordinary Palestinians as well as well-known people, such as Hanan Ashwari and Noam Chomsky. View it on YouTube here.

The People’s Patriarch: Reflections with Patriarch Michel Sabbah. (2020). (1 hour, 7 mins.)

Directed by Mohammed Alatar, this film focuses on the first Arab to hold the office of Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and his efforts to bring justice and peace to his homeland.  The film can be watched here.  (Note: the film itself begins around the 12:39 mark, after introductions.)

Rachel. (2009). (1 hour, 40 minutes)

This film is about activist Rachel Corrie who was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer (made by Caterpillar) as she tried to prevent a Palestinian home in Gaza from being leveled.

Rick Steves’ Palestine. (2015). (27 minutes)

The well-known travel writer Rick Steves went to Palestine in 2015 and this is his account of his visit. View it on YouTube here.

Roadmap to Apartheid. (2012). (1 hour, 34 minutes)

Narrated by Alice Walker, the film addresses why Palestinians feel they are living in an apartheid system, and why many people around the world agree with them. The film uses footage from South Africa and Palestine/Israel. Available on Amazon Prime.

Sacred Space Denied: Bethlehem and the Wall. (2005). (22 minutes)

This film shows how the apartheid wall imprisons residents of Bethlehem and its holy sites, profoundly affecting Palestinians, Palestinian culture, and commerce. Available in two parts on YouTube: part 1 and part 2.

Stone Cold Justice. (2014). (45 minutes)

This is about the treatment of Palestinian children in the West Bank. It focuses on three boys who were arrested (two in the middle of the night), interrogated, and forced to sign false confessions. The film showed on the mainstream Australian TV station, ABC1, in February 2014. View it online.

The Stones Cry Out. (2013). (55 minutes)

This film is about the impact of the Israeli occupation of Palestine on Christian Palestinians. It shows how Bethlehem is now encircled by the apartheid wall, which cuts it off from Jerusalem and robs Palestinians of much of their agricultural land.

Tears of Gaza. (2010). (1 hour, 21 minutes)

About the Israeli bombardment of Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009 and the impact of it on the lives of ordinary people. Often stark images underscored claims of wars crimes on the part of Israel and the culpability of the United States in this military campaign. Available on YouTube and Amazon Prime.

They Were Promised the Sea. (2013). (1 hour, 14 minutes)

This myth-destroying documentary is about the mass migration of Moroccan Jews to Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967; it challenges the notion that Jewish Moroccans were expelled. The film is the result of a search by the Canadian director Kathy Wazana into her family’s Moroccan roots. Available on Vimeo.

The Truth: Lost at Sea. (2017). (56 minutes)

This is about the 2010 convoy of cargo ships taking humanitarian aid to Gaza in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The flotilla was attacked by the Israeli military while in international waters, and 10 activists died. Available here or on Prime Video.

Wall (Mur). (2004). (1 hour, 38 minutes)

By Moroccan Israeli Simone Bitton, this film is about the building of the apartheid wall. We hear from Palestinians whose lives are deeply affected by the wall, Palestinians who are building the wall, Israeli Defense Ministry officials, and settlers.

The War Around Us. (2012). (1 hour, 15 minutes)

Only two international journalists for Al Jazeera English, Ayman Mohyeldin and Sherine Tadros, were on the ground in Gaza during Israel’s devastating 22-day military offensive in 2008–2009. This documentary shows the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population. Find it here.

Where Should the Birds Fly?. (2013). (58 minutes)

Filmmaker Fida Qishta was born and raised in Rafah, Gaza, and works with international human rights observers in Gaza. In this film, she shares her experiences living in Gaza and those of Mona Samouni, a young girl who lost many, many family members in Cast Lead, the Israel bombardment of Gaza in 2008–2009. Available on Vimeo.

Within Eye of Storm. (2012). (1 hour, 8 minutes)

This poignant and compelling documentary is about two men, one Palestinian (Bassam) and one Israeli (Rami), who both lost daughters to violence and became close friends through their peace activist work. Find it here.

A World Not Ours. (2014). (1 hour, 33 minutes)

This multi-generational documentary is about the Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon, Ain al-Helweh, which has been home to 70,000 people for over 60 years. The filmmaker, Mahdi Fleifel, grew up in the camp, now lives in Denmark, and has visited the camp many times. He and family members kept a video diary of life in the camp.

Dramas

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea. (2011). (1 hour, 39 minutes)

This is about a young French immigrant to Israel who does not understand all the violence and writes a letter to Gaza, which she puts in a bottle and which her brother, an IDF soldier stationed near Gaza, throws into the sea. A young Palestinian in Gaza finds the bottle and an email correspondence ensues.

Farha. (2021). (1 hour, 32 minutes)

Based on a true story, this film is about a 14-year-old Palestinian girl, Farha, who longs to go to a nearby city to continue her education. However, when her village is invaded in 1948 during the Nakba/Catastrophe by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), she is separated from her family and witnesses atrocities.

Man Without a Cell Phone. (2010). (1 hour, 10 minutes)

This is a humorous drama by Sameh Zoabi about a farmer in a village near Nazareth who tries to organize a grassroots protest against the erection of a cell phone tower in his village . . . only to be opposed by family members who love the improved cell phone reception.

The Present. (2020). (25 mins.)

This short Palestinian-British film was nominated for an Oscar and is on Netflix.  It’s a very powerful movie about Israeli cruelty at checkpoints and how a young girl helps her father solve a potentially disastrous situation at a checkpoint when they are returning home from a shopping expedition.

When I Saw You. (2012). (1 hour, 33 minutes)

A film set in Jordan in 1967, close to the border with occupied Palestine. About an 11-year-old, Tarek, who is living with his mother in a refugee camp and was separated from his father during the Six-Day War. He sets off on a journey to find his father.

The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. (2008). (1 hour, 4 minutes)

A film showing four very funny comedians of Middle Eastern descent who challenge stereotypes with incisive and refreshing humor. Two of the comedians, Aron Kader and Dean Obeidallah, are Palestinian Americans.

Sean Taylor—Palestine. (2019). (6 minutes)

Sean Taylor is a musician and songwriter, and this short poetic and visual song/recitation captures the history and reality of Palestine. Find it here.