Al Ard Doc Film Festival 2013 Minutes of the Jury

Al Ard Prize (best work on Palestine) Best emerging director Best documentar !ur " Felice Tiragallo Monica Maurer Ibrahim Nasrallah Giuseppe Pusceddu Wasim Dahmash Antonello anda The Jury met on !aturday "#$%%$"&%# in order to decide on the pri'e allocation for the (le)enth (dition of the Al Ard Doc Film Festi)al "&%#* Initially+ each member of the Jury chose fi)e of the most deser)ing films* After this first s,imming+ the follo-ing -or,s -ere selected for further discussion. .Infiltrators by /haled Jarrar *The Shebabs of Yarmouk by A0el !al)atori1!in' *Shooting Mohammad by Francesco 2annito 3 4uca 2usani *In my Mother5s Arms by Atia 6 Mohamed Al1Darad7i *The Kingdom of Women by Dahna Abourahme Follo-ing careful scrutiny+ the Jury chose to allocate the Prize #or Best Documentar to Infiltrators and not simply because of its some-hat uncon)entional production techni8ues 9considering the conditions in -hich it -as shot:* The emotional impact of the film as -ell as its high1precision+ professional editing -ere ta,en into account in light of an un8uestionable ;ris, factor<* In turn+ in the film The Shebabs of Yarmouk+ o)erall better edited and more sophisticated+ the director perfected both cinematography and techni8ue in great details* For these reasons he -as a-arded the Prize #or Best $merging Director* Shooting Mohammad and The Kingdom of Women -ere selected for the Prize #or Best %ork on Palestine* The Kingdom of Women has greater appeal because -omen feature as protagonists* It also sho-s e0cellent production and e0ecution 8uality* The animations are )ery effecti)e* Its mi0 of narrati)e and animation -as positi)ely recei)ed and its e0cellent techni8ue unanimously appro)ed* The emotional impact of plot and story is highly commendable. it is one of the first films in -hich -omen rebuild a refugee camp+

indeed+ they rebuild Palestine* !uch strength to reconstruct rather than gi)ing up spea,s for Palestinian resistance* After careful analysis of both films+ the 7ury finally agreed that &'e First Al Ard Prize (Best %ork on Palestine) should go to The Kingdom of Women* The 7ury repeatedly pointed out that the 8uality of both films is )ery high and emphasised its difficulties in choosing a -inner* !ince re-arding 7ust three films -ould ha)e been greatly limiting+ the 7ury deliberated to allocate some special mentions to the most note-orthy films* ()ecial *entions In my Mothers Arms Palestina per prin ipianti +easons" Best documentar ,n#iltrators by /haled Jarrar+ Palestine+ "&%" The film perfectly combines an account of the material+ physical and emotional efforts by Palestinians to climb o)er the Apartheid Wall -ith an apparently ;dirty<+ casual shooting and editing style* !uch style fully con)eys the drama of physical and political confinement -ith unusual efficacy* Al Ard Prize (Best %ork on Palestine) &'e -ingdom o# %omen" $in el .ilwe' by Dahna Abourahme+ 4ebanon+ "&%& A high 8uality production+ sho-ing+ for the first time+ Palestinian -omen as protagonists in rebuilding family structures despite the hardships of e0ile and the absence of men 9-ho ha)e been either e0ecuted or ta,en as prisoners:* The film additionally offers an inno)ati)e portrait of the Palestinian female prisoner in a range of artistic forms+ among -hich animation features prominently* Best emerging director &'e ('ebabs o# /armouk by A0el !al)atori1!in'+ France+ "&%" With these images the director reproduces a thirst for freedom and the absolute -hich inspire a group of ;shebabs< 9young men and -omen: facing unusual difficulties in the =armou, refugee camp 7ust outside Damascus+ !yria* ;The camp is a piece of Palestine<+ so runs the underlying comment of a film sho-ing -ith photographic realism the daily life and spirit of a refugee camp+ -here Palestinians ha)e been li)ing since %>?@ and+ today+ must determine their o-n destiny* &wo s)ecial mentions #or t'e #ilms" ,n m *ot'er0s Arms by Atia 6 Mohamed Al1Darad7i+ Ira8+ "&%% Aecause the director manages to in)ol)e us yet again -ith his strong and sensiti)e cinematography in the battle against the de)astation of his o-n country by the American -ar and occupation* The film describes the drama and the traumas of thousands of -ar orphans* Palestina )er )rinci)ianti by Francesco Merini+ Italia+ "&%" A film of high technical standards -hich are brought to the fore by an e0tremely accurate editing+ despite a limited budget* This inno)ati)e approach to the topic is highlighted by a simple+ concise and accurate language to channel a message at the core of the Palestinian cause. the inalienable right of return*