Sheikh Jarrah Doc.

Yousef Hammad  |  Documentary Film  |  2023  |  Palestine
Producer: Noora Said-Foqaha
In an experimental, non-chronological documentary film, Yousef Hammad looks at how the streets of Sheikh Jarrah have changed from a playground for children to a site of violent confrontations and the stench of sewage.  Narrated from voices across three generations of Hammad’s family, the film draws from the diaries of his grandfather, which offer a detailed first-hand account covering the years from 1948 until the 1980s; the VHS tapes of his father which depict Hammad’s childhood and the neighborhood as a whole during the 1990s and early 2000s; and recent audiovisual recordings by Hammad. The film investigates the origin and injustices of the decades-long lawsuit filed by Israeli settlers to evict Palestinians and delves into the day-to-day reality of the families of Sheikh Jarrah who are still fighting the real threat of losing their homes. With a number of diverse accounts from families and the lawyers, the film offers a raw perspective within a tense atmosphere.