This post has not been vetted or endorsed by BuzzFeed's editorial staff. BuzzFeed Community is a place where anyone can create a post or quiz. Try making your own!

Posted on Sep 19, 2014

10 Films On Palestine From Checkpoints To Hip Hop To Amreeka

Palestinian cinema is booming and being screened all over the world from film festivals in Cannes to Toronto to Venice and garnering the attention of Hollywood and Academy Award nominations. It is the Palestinian experience defined by exile, discrimination and occupation that serves as the inspiration for filmmakers. Below are 10 great films and documentaries on Palestine by Palestinians, Americans, and Israelis.

by PalestineStudies

Community Brand Publisher

Arguable the doyen of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers, Elia Suleiman’s “The Time That Remains” is a semi-biographical film about the so-called “48 Palestinians”, those who came under Israeli rule, from the time of their new found position as Israeli citizens to the present day. Told in humorous vignettes, “The Time That Remains” is an endearing tale about a Palestinian experience often overlooked. — New Wave Films / Via youtube.com

Arguable the doyen of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers, Elia Suleiman’s “The Time That Remains” is a semi-biographical film about the so-called “48 Palestinians”, those who came under Israeli rule, from the time of their new found position as Israeli citizens to the present day. Told in humorous vignettes, “The Time That Remains” is an endearing tale about a Palestinian experience often overlooked.

New Wave Films / Via youtube.com

Arguable the doyen of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers, Elia Suleiman’s “The Time That Remains” is a semi-biographical film about the so-called “48 Palestinians”, those who came under Israeli rule, from the time of their new found position as Israeli citizens to the present day. Told in humorous vignettes, “The Time That Remains” is an endearing tale about a Palestinian experience often overlooked.

Emad Burnat acquires a camera upon the birth of his youngest son Gibreel. In the ensuing years, he documents his village’s peaceful struggle to resist the Israeli military’s effort to expropriate their lands and build a separation barrier. Emad is placed under house arrest and the cameras are repeatedly shot and smashed by Israeli soldiers, but the village remains steadfast. Co-directed with Israeli Guy David, it received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. David screened the film to Israeli youth, whose reaction is a testament to how powerful images can cross borders and inspire hope. — ghfilmcentre / Via youtube.com

Emad Burnat acquires a camera upon the birth of his youngest son Gibreel. In the ensuing years, he documents his village’s peaceful struggle to resist the Israeli military’s effort to expropriate their lands and build a separation barrier. Emad is placed under house arrest and the cameras are repeatedly shot and smashed by Israeli soldiers, but the village remains steadfast. Co-directed with Israeli Guy David, it received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. David screened the film to Israeli youth, whose reaction is a testament to how powerful images can cross borders and inspire hope.

ghfilmcentre / Via youtube.com

Emad Burnat acquires a camera upon the birth of his youngest son Gibreel. In the ensuing years, he documents his village’s peaceful struggle to resist the Israeli military’s effort to expropriate their lands and build a separation barrier. Emad is placed under house arrest and the cameras are repeatedly shot and smashed by Israeli soldiers, but the village remains steadfast. Co-directed with Israeli Guy David, it received an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary. David screened the film to Israeli youth, whose reaction is a testament to how powerful images can cross borders and inspire hope.

Hany Abu-Assad made history as the first Palestinian filmmaker (born in Nazareth) to be nominated for an Oscar back in 2007 for “Paradise Now” in the Foreign Language category. The story of two childhood friends, Said and Khaled, who are recruited from their West Bank home of Nablus to undertake suicide attacks in Tel Aviv, but along the way begin to harbor doubts about the morality and efficacy of their actions. It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. — Celluloid Dream / Via youtube.com

Hany Abu-Assad made history as the first Palestinian filmmaker (born in Nazareth) to be nominated for an Oscar back in 2007 for “Paradise Now” in the Foreign Language category. The story of two childhood friends, Said and Khaled, who are recruited from their West Bank home of Nablus to undertake suicide attacks in Tel Aviv, but along the way begin to harbor doubts about the morality and efficacy of their actions. It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.

Celluloid Dream / Via youtube.com

Hany Abu-Assad made history as the first Palestinian filmmaker (born in Nazareth) to be nominated for an Oscar back in 2007 for “Paradise Now” in the Foreign Language category. The story of two childhood friends, Said and Khaled, who are recruited from their West Bank home of Nablus to undertake suicide attacks in Tel Aviv, but along the way begin to harbor doubts about the morality and efficacy of their actions. It won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film.

New York-based artist and filmmaker Jackie Salloum, of Palestinian-Syrian heritage, chronicles the Palestinian hip hop community. From the rap trio DAM in Israel, the first Palestinian hip hop artists, to the Palestinian Rapperz (PR) in Gaza, Salloum presents a vibrant world where the Palestinian experience of discrimination and occupation serves as the inspiration for sick beats and heartfelt lyrics. — FreshBooza / Via youtube.com

New York-based artist and filmmaker Jackie Salloum, of Palestinian-Syrian heritage, chronicles the Palestinian hip hop community. From the rap trio DAM in Israel, the first Palestinian hip hop artists, to the Palestinian Rapperz (PR) in Gaza, Salloum presents a vibrant world where the Palestinian experience of discrimination and occupation serves as the inspiration for sick beats and heartfelt lyrics.

FreshBooza / Via youtube.com

New York-based artist and filmmaker Jackie Salloum, of Palestinian-Syrian heritage, chronicles the Palestinian hip hop community. From the rap trio DAM in Israel, the first Palestinian hip hop artists, to the Palestinian Rapperz (PR) in Gaza, Salloum presents a vibrant world where the Palestinian experience of discrimination and occupation serves as the inspiration for sick beats and heartfelt lyrics.

Palestinian and Israeli co-directors and writers, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, respectively, led a cast of untrained actors in their dramatized portrayal of life in the neighborhood of Ajami, south of Tel Aviv in the city of Jaff. The film focuses on the rough edges of life for the neighborhood’s lower-class Palestinian Christians and Muslims from gang violence to sectarian tension. It was the first predominantly Arabic-language film to be submitted as the Israeli entry for Oscar consideration and was duly nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. — Kino International / Kino Classics / Via youtube.com

Palestinian and Israeli co-directors and writers, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, respectively, led a cast of untrained actors in their dramatized portrayal of life in the neighborhood of Ajami, south of Tel Aviv in the city of Jaff. The film focuses on the rough edges of life for the neighborhood’s lower-class Palestinian Christians and Muslims from gang violence to sectarian tension. It was the first predominantly Arabic-language film to be submitted as the Israeli entry for Oscar consideration and was duly nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

Kino International / Kino Classics / Via youtube.com

Palestinian and Israeli co-directors and writers, Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani, respectively, led a cast of untrained actors in their dramatized portrayal of life in the neighborhood of Ajami, south of Tel Aviv in the city of Jaff. The film focuses on the rough edges of life for the neighborhood’s lower-class Palestinian Christians and Muslims from gang violence to sectarian tension. It was the first predominantly Arabic-language film to be submitted as the Israeli entry for Oscar consideration and was duly nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.

This is the Palestinian story set in America (Amreeka in Arabic). In her debut film, Palestinian-Jordanian-American Cherien Dabis’ “Amreeka” (named by Hollywood trade magazine Variety as “10 Directors to Watch” in 2009) follows Muna and her son Fadi as they journey from their Ramallah home in the West Bank to the American Midwest. Encountering racism and the challenges of a new life, Muna and Fadi aspire to the ‘American Dream’ on their own terms rooted in their Palestinian identity and culture. — RialtoDistribution / Via youtube.com

This is the Palestinian story set in America (Amreeka in Arabic). In her debut film, Palestinian-Jordanian-American Cherien Dabis’ “Amreeka” (named by Hollywood trade magazine Variety as “10 Directors to Watch” in 2009) follows Muna and her son Fadi as they journey from their Ramallah home in the West Bank to the American Midwest. Encountering racism and the challenges of a new life, Muna and Fadi aspire to the ‘American Dream’ on their own terms rooted in their Palestinian identity and culture.

RialtoDistribution / Via youtube.com

This is the Palestinian story set in America (Amreeka in Arabic). In her debut film, Palestinian-Jordanian-American Cherien Dabis’ “Amreeka” (named by Hollywood trade magazine Variety as “10 Directors to Watch” in 2009) follows Muna and her son Fadi as they journey from their Ramallah home in the West Bank to the American Midwest. Encountering racism and the challenges of a new life, Muna and Fadi aspire to the ‘American Dream’ on their own terms rooted in their Palestinian identity and culture.

Hany Abu-Assad received his second Oscar nod for “Omar” a fast-paced, tense spy thrill as protagonist “Omar” finds himself entrapped by an Israeli handler, but in this cat-and-mouse game it isn’t clear who is being played. In 2014, “Omar” became the first film in the Academy Awards’ history to be recognized as a “Palestine” film. — Fresh Movie Trailers / Via youtube.com

Hany Abu-Assad received his second Oscar nod for “Omar” a fast-paced, tense spy thrill as protagonist “Omar” finds himself entrapped by an Israeli handler, but in this cat-and-mouse game it isn’t clear who is being played. In 2014, “Omar” became the first film in the Academy Awards’ history to be recognized as a “Palestine” film.

Fresh Movie Trailers / Via youtube.com

Hany Abu-Assad received his second Oscar nod for “Omar” a fast-paced, tense spy thrill as protagonist “Omar” finds himself entrapped by an Israeli handler, but in this cat-and-mouse game it isn’t clear who is being played. In 2014, “Omar” became the first film in the Academy Awards’ history to be recognized as a “Palestine” film.

Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir does nothing more than point his camera lens at the myriad Israeli checkpoints that dominate the occupied West Bank between 2001-2003 (many remain in place). The simple act of documentation illustrates the asymmetry of power in a conflict often falsely presented as a “cycle” between two supposedly equal sides and the indignities of occupation. — AmythosFilms / Via youtube.com

Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir does nothing more than point his camera lens at the myriad Israeli checkpoints that dominate the occupied West Bank between 2001-2003 (many remain in place). The simple act of documentation illustrates the asymmetry of power in a conflict often falsely presented as a “cycle” between two supposedly equal sides and the indignities of occupation.

AmythosFilms / Via youtube.com

Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir does nothing more than point his camera lens at the myriad Israeli checkpoints that dominate the occupied West Bank between 2001-2003 (many remain in place). The simple act of documentation illustrates the asymmetry of power in a conflict often falsely presented as a “cycle” between two supposedly equal sides and the indignities of occupation.

Bethlehem-born Annemarie Jacir tells the story of a Palestinian woman born in the diaspora who travels to Israel/Palestine to reclaim an old family bank account and visit her grandfather’s home in Jaffa, Israel. Jacir’s film presents the Palestinian story from the vantage point of the diaspora, many of whom long for recognition for what has been lost more than even “return”.
To learn more about Palestinian history and culture, and current affairs, visit the Institute for Palestine Studies.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. — philistineFlms / Via youtube.com

Bethlehem-born Annemarie Jacir tells the story of a Palestinian woman born in the diaspora who travels to Israel/Palestine to reclaim an old family bank account and visit her grandfather’s home in Jaffa, Israel. Jacir’s film presents the Palestinian story from the vantage point of the diaspora, many of whom long for recognition for what has been lost more than even “return”.
To learn more about Palestinian history and culture, and current affairs, visit the Institute for Palestine Studies.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

philistineFlms / Via youtube.com

Bethlehem-born Annemarie Jacir tells the story of a Palestinian woman born in the diaspora who travels to Israel/Palestine to reclaim an old family bank account and visit her grandfather’s home in Jaffa, Israel. Jacir’s film presents the Palestinian story from the vantage point of the diaspora, many of whom long for recognition for what has been lost more than even “return”.
To learn more about Palestinian history and culture, and current affairs, visit the Institute for Palestine Studies.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Share This Article