Documentary Movies

(click for larger photo)	Jenin Jenin
	by Director: Mohamed Bakri
Unfiltered and unvarnished...a testament to human dignity and strength. by a Reader from The Electronic Intifada, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003
Editorial Review by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Jenin Jenin, directed and co-produced by Palestinian actor and director Mohamed Bakri, includes testimony from Jenin residents after the Israeli army's Defensive Wall operation, during which the city and camp were the scenes of fierce fighting. The operation ended with Jenin flattened and scores of Palestinians dead. Palestinians as well as numerous human rights groups accused Israel of committing war crimes in the April 2002 attack on the refugee camp. Jenin Jenin shows the extent to which the prolonged oppression and terror has affected the state of mind of the Palestinian inhabitants of Jenin. Bitterness and grief are the prevailing feelings among the majority of the population. Many have lost loved ones or are still searching for victims and furniture among the debris. A little girl, who does not seem to be much older than twelve, tells her story but knows no fear. The ongoing violence in her day-to-day life only nourishes her feelings of hatred and the urge to take revenge. She tells what she would do to Prime Minister Sharon if he visited the camp and she shouts that the Palestinians will never give up the struggle. They will keep on producing children, who can continue the fight against injustice. Banned in Israel, Jenin Jenin is dedicated to Iyad Samoudi, the producer of the film. On June 23, as Israeli forces besieged Yamun, Samoudi was shot and killed as he was leaving a military-closed area with three friends.

(click for larger photo)	Gaza Strip
	by James Longley
Superb Documentary: shows it like it is by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 This is an outstanding documentary movie that shows what life is like for Palestinians in Gaza during the first few months of the second Intifada. James Longley, a young American filmmaker spent 3 1/2 months in the Gaza strip filming 75 hours of footage for this documentary, and the product reflects an accurate picture of what life is like under occupation. This film is remarkable on many counts. First, unlike many documentaries I have seen, there is no narration whatsoever during the whole length of the documentary. I was anticipating Longley would interject a few words here and there to explain the background, but instead, he allows the characters filmed to speak for themselves. Thus "Gaza Strip" looks less like a documentary, without sacrificing the clarity of the work. Another remarkable accomplishment is that Longley filmed and put together the entire feature without knowing a word of Arabic. For editing the 74 minute documentary, he had to rely on a written translation of the 75 hours of original footage. This is an enormous accomplishment, considering the superb quality of the final movie. It is interesting to note also that the music was created by Longley himself, and the artistic quality of some of the scenes also deserve mention. "Gaza Strip" captures many significant features of Gazan life under occupation: the beach being used as a highway when the Israeli army closes the main road; daily Israeli shooting sprees in Rafah; the damage to the buildings from gunfire; home demolitions; the disastrous economic effects, etc.. In one of the most moving scenes, Longley captures an Israeli missile attack on Gaza city, showing how it feels like from the streets. "Gaza Strip" also captures on tape the victims of a strange Israeli chemical attack. The central feature of the movie, however, is young child roaming the streets selling cakes to make a living, who is not shy of the camera and voluntarily acts as a tour guide of his world. James Longley should be commended for making this fine documentary which deserves the highest of awards. I recommend this to anyone wanting to know what really is happening. This is reporting at its best. Welcome to Gaza, fasten your seatbelts, and thank your God that bullets don't go through the TV screen. For a unique experience of the first day of the Intifada in Jerusalem, I recommend you also get Hazim Bitar's "Jerusalem's High Cost of Living". A similar travelogue from the first Intifada can be found in the unique comic documentary "Palestine" by Joe Sacco.

(click for larger photo)	Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
	by Michael Moore
The Greatest Moment in Cinema by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Explores the events and the connections that led to, and followed from the Sep. 11 attacks on the USA. Even the die-hard news freak like myself has much to learn by watching this film. His exposure of the alarming Saudi connection is eye-opening. The best part, in my opinion, is how he places us in the shoes of the victims of the attacks, right from the start. Never before did I imagine that a black screen can express so much. We hear much today about "supporting our troops", and Michael Moore does that in the most brilliant way: by listenting to them and their families. Are we also willing to listen to their message which he carries to us?

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