On Sunday night, amidst the glitz and glamour of the Oscars, two visionary filmmakers, Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist, and Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, accepted the prestigious award for Best Documentary Feature for their film, "No Other Land." This poignant documentary chronicles the heart-wrenching tales of Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes in the southern West Bank. In their acceptance speech, the filmmakers issued a passionate plea to the global community to intervene and halt the ongoing "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians, demand the release of the remaining Israeli hostages from the tragic "crime of Oct. 7," and pave a more equitable path forward for the Palestinian people.
"When I gaze upon Basel," Abraham emotionally declared, his voice trembling with emotion, "I see my very own brother. Yet, despite our shared bond, we are worlds apart. I live under the protective umbrella of civilian law, while Basel is subjected to oppressive military laws that shatter lives and rob him of his autonomy."
Adra echoed Abraham's sentiments, asserting that their film serves as a mirror, reflecting the decades-long ordeal and unwavering resistance of the Palestinian people. "We implore the world to take decisive action to end this injustice and put a stop to the ethnic cleansing of our people," he demanded with urgency.
The selection of "No Other Land" as Best Documentary Feature marked a significant milestone and a stark rebuke of the system. Despite its accolades and glowing reviews, the film struggled to find a distributor in the United States, effectively barring American audiences from experiencing its powerful narrative in theaters or on streaming platforms. This challenge is indicative of a broader trend in recent years, where topical documentaries have faced immense hurdles in securing distribution.
The film, graphic and unflinching, portrays haunting images of flattened homes, wailing children, desolate mothers, and even on-camera shootings. (Notably, Israel's Supreme Court had ruled that the government had the authority to clear the area depicted in the documentary.) Released at a particularly tense juncture, just months after Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, and Israel's retaliatory actions in Gaza, the film entered a charged political landscape.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict holds a special place in the political discourse of Hollywood. Last year, Jewish entertainment executive Ari Emanuel faced booing after he criticized Israel's conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while accepting an award from a prominent Jewish organization in Los Angeles. Similarly, at the previous year's Oscars ceremony, Jewish director Jonathan Glazer compared aspects of his Holocaust film, "The Zone of Interest," to contemporary conflicts, leading to conflicting letters of condemnation and defense. During the same event, attendees wore pins distributed by Artists4Ceasefire, a group advocating for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
At this year's ceremony, Adra and Abraham, joined by their fellow directors Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, were warmly applauded for their speeches. The Australian actor Guy Pearce, a Best Supporting Actor nominee, sported a "Free Palestine" lapel pin on the Oscars red carpet and was visible on television offering encouragement to the filmmakers as they made their way to the stage.
During his acceptance speech, Abraham acknowledged the influential platform he had. As he advocated for a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that grants national rights to both peoples, he stated, "I must mention that the foreign policy of this country is, unfortunately, hindering progress towards this goal." Abraham also seemed to invoke an iconic slogan of the Israeli left: "Can't you see that we are interconnected? That my people can only be truly safe if Basel's people are equally free and secure? There is indeed another way."
Here are the enhanced and expressive acceptance speeches in their entirety:
**BASEL ADRAT**
Thank you, esteemed Academy, for this prestigious award. It is an immense honor bestowed upon the quartet of us, and upon all who stood by us in the making of this documentary. Just two months ago, I embarked on a new journey as a father. My heartfelt wish for my daughter is that she never has to endure the life I currently live, where the shadows of violence, home demolitions, and forced displacement loom over my community in Masafer Yatta each and every day. ‘No Other Land’ mirrors the unyielding harshness we've faced for decades, and our ongoing defiance as we implore the global community to intervene decisively, to halt the injustice and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
**YUVAL ABRAHAM**
We, Palestinians and Israelis alike, crafted this film because united, our voices resonate louder. We acknowledge each other's presence. The appalling devastation unleashed upon Gaza and its inhabitants must cease; the Israeli hostages, brutalized during the October 7th crime, must be liberated. When I gaze upon Basel, I see my brother. Yet, there lies a stark disparity between us. We inhabit a system where I am governed by civilian law, free, while Basel is ensnared by military laws that decimate lives beyond his control. There exists an alternative route—a political resolution devoid of ethnic supremacy, one that upholds national rights for both our peoples. And I must voice, standing here, that the foreign policy of this nation aids in obstructing this path. Why? Can't you perceive our interconnectedness? That my people can only truly be safe if Basel's people are equally free and secure? Another path exists. It is not yet beyond the realm of possibility for life, for the living.
