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Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land took home the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
The documentary was co-directed by Palestinian activist, lawyer and journalist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham and was produced between 2019 and 2023.
It details the displacement of the Palestinian people in the West Bank, by the Israeli military. It also documents the huge gap in living conditions between Basal and Yuval who formed an unlikely bond – one faces violence and oppression on a daily basis, while the other is free.
The documentary beat out other contenders for the accolade including Porcelain War, Sugarcane, Black Box Diaries and Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.
Taking to the stage, Adra reflected on how he recently became a father, sharing his hopes for how his child won’t have to grow up like he did.
“About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope to my daughter that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now, always fearing settlers, violence, home demolitions and forcible displacements that my community is living and tasting every day under Israeli occupation,” he said.
“We call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people,” Adra added.
Co-director of the film Abraham highlighted that together, their voices would be stronger, which is the sentiment behind the documentary.
“We see each other: The atrocious destruction of Gaza and its people which must end. Israeli hostages, brutally taken in the crime of October 7th, which must be freed,” he said.
Abraham also highlighted the different lives he and Adra live under the regime stating there is a “political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people”.
Watch the full trailer for the documentary below.
