The story of the wall and its effect on one tiny West Bank village Budrus by Julia Bacha was my first film at MAMI film festival last month in Mumbai. Budrus is an award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who unites local Fatah and Hamas members along with Israeli supporters in an unarmed movement to save his village of Budrus from destruction by Israel’s Separation Barrier. Budrus shines a light on people who choose nonviolence to confront a threat. The movie is directed by award-winning filmmaker Julia Bacha (co-writer and editor of Control Room and co-director Encounter Point), and produced by Bacha, Palestinian journalist Rula Salameh, and filmmaker and human rights advocate Ronit Avni (formerly of WITNESS, Director of Encounter Point).Budrus received the Panorama Audience Award, Second Prize, at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2010.
Budrus was not just another village in Palestine destined to be surrounded by the segregation wall — it became a turning point in non-violent Palestinian struggle. The film focuses on a 2003 nonviolent protest movement launched in a small Palestinian town to resist the construction of Israel's Separation Barrier throughout 300 acres of olive fields, the local cemetery, and within close proximity to the school. The protest is led by Ayed Morrar, who organizes the first "Popular Committee Against the Wall" by rousing his neighbors from their collective stupor to stand up for their land and their rights: "Either we call it fate and give up like we usually do, saying: 'This is the will of God.' Or we consider it an injustice that must be faced and challenged," he says. Having served more than six years in Israeli prisons, he has passed on his fighting spirit to Iltezam, his 15-year-old daughter, who along with other women and girls in Budrus joins the demonstrations. At one point, Iltezam courageously jumps into a hole in front of a bulldozer that is uprooting the trees — trees that many of these Palestinians see as members of their families. Bacha tries to give a balanced picture of this struggle by including the comments of Dorian Spielman, a spokesperson for the Israeli Army, who admits that the building of the Separation Barrier on Palestinian land is unfortunate but "is less fortunate than the death of an Israeli citizen." Yasmine Levi, a squad commander in the border police, shares her perspective on the difficult task of building the Barrier and protecting Israeli interests. As the demonstrations led by Morrar continue, he is emboldened by the large and enthusiastic involvement of Israeli activists who support his cause and are angered by the injustices committed against the Palestinian people. Many scenes in the documentary chart how hard it is to practice nonviolence in a setting where so much is at stake and feelings run so deep and strong. Nonetheless, it is very gratifying to see how well the collaboration between the Israeli leftists and the citizens of Budrus worked. Morrar and his daughter both come across as gifted and authentic populist leaders able inspire their friends and neighbors and make a case to the world for Palestinian freedom. Eventually, though, the Israeli government decides to change the route of the barrier, claiming it is a "political" decision, leaving locals access to 95% of their land after 55 non vioenet protest demonstrations.
In the opening sequence of the film, Budrus, the camera follows a winding road to the home of Palestinian activist, Ayed Morrar. "We don't have time for war. We want to raise our kids in peace and hope," Mr Morrar comes from one of six small villages close to the occupied West Bank's border with Israel, which were due to be encircled by the Israeli separation barrier in 2003.
There are also two elements that make the film so special, that grab the viewer in right away. One is the humble leadership of Ayed Morrar, the popular committee leader of Budrus. His character really breaks the myth that civil resistance leaders require big personality and charisma. The documentation of Ayed in action revealed a gentleman, a father, husband, brother and friend of villagers. He was careful to solicit everyone’s ideas for weekly actions, and he worked in shared partnership with other village leaders. Ayed showed that he was a good listener – for me, a key to effective leadership in nonviolent struggle. The other element that I found incredibly engaging was the role of the women in the village. It was actually Ayed’s fifteen year old daughter, Iltezam, who mobilized women to protest the uprooting of the olive trees through the construction of the separation wall being built by Israel. I loved how she enthusiastically declared, “the men couldn’t stop them, but the women, we could do it!”
At one point in the film, Mr Morrar's 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, is seen stepping into the path of a bulldozer, forcing it to retreat.Women marching in Budrus Women were at the heart of the struggle to save the olive trees and land of Budrus.
I wish I can show this film in Kashmir . I can already hear the discussion and debate that will come up after people watch it. The question of whether nonviolence can work in our situation and even what is the definition of violence comes up a lot in our movement. When the young men of Budrus become so frustrated and angry at the injustice unfolding before their eyes that they begin throwing stones, very much happening in Kahsmir now . I personally don't see the act of throwing stones as very violent at all considering the guns that are pointing at them. But then it's so clear to see how throwing stones immediately provokes the soldiers and escalates the situation, giving them the excuse to push the people back from the land where the battle is happening over the olive trees and bringing violent conflict into the town itself. The negative impact that this has on the people of Budrus and the movement itself is glaringly apparent. It's a very good illustration of the need for discipline and strict adherence to a nonviolent code of conduct, even in the face of abuse and oppression, if a movement is to be successful.
While watching “Budrus” I wondered if there were any differences between the fears of Jasmin, a female Israeli Special Forces soldier shown trying to secure land for the wall, and the fears of a Palestinian mother, whose land was being taken, and whose son was being tortured? I don’t think so! Along with these questions, “Budrus” ultimately gave me a beacon of hope.After all, nations such as Palestine and Israel make their own destinies. And, no matter how dark it gets for its people, there will always be a dawn. I strongly believe that non violenet direct action and protests like these finally win and this film just made my belief stronger.
Jilla bai sings a protest song
