Programme

The Flower of All Cities (Zahrat Al-Madain), Dir. Ali Siam, Palestine 1969, 7 min., Arabic with English subtitles

Produced by the Jordanian Ministry of Culture, this rare work by photographer and cinematographer Ali Siam captures the daily life of a Palestinian amid the Israeli army’s occupation following the 1967 war.

Palestine in the Eye, Dir. PLO Film Unit/Mustafa Abu Ali, Palestine 1976, 28 min., Arabic with English subtitles

The late Palestinian cinematographer Hani Jawharieh’s family and colleagues reflect on how his death impacted the PLO Film Unit. Restored by filmmaker Azza El-Hassan, who found the film in Jawharieh’s family home.

The Urgent Call of Palestine, Dir. Ismail Shammout, Palestine 1973, 5 min., Arabic with English subtitles

Palestinian-Egyptian singer Zeinab Shaath performs a song of solidarity in this short work by Palestinian artist and art historian Ismail Shammout.

Glow of Memories, Dir. Ismail Shammout, Palestine 1972, 12 min., Arabic with English subtitles

Through a montage of visual material, including archival photographs and paintings by the director, an elderly Palestinian man conveys his personal recollections of resistance.

The above films were restored by Creative Interruptions, an Arts and Humanities Research Council research project at Sheffield Hallam University.

Because Roots Don't Die, Dir. Nabiha Lutfi, Palestine 1977, 55 min., Arabic with English subtitles 

This poignant portrait of Palestinian women's lives during the Lebanese civil war recounts the tragedies that befell the residents of Tal al-Zaatar Palestinian refugee camp in former East Beirut. Presenting a panorama of their lives before the camp, the documentary brings to the forefront the testimonies of those who survived the attacks against the camp, as well as the siege, massacre, and the camp's eventual dissolution in a narrative of both hardship and hope.