This film by a Palestinian-Israeli collective of four young activists has been made as an act of creative resistance on the path to greater justice.
No Other Land, a documentary exploring the bond between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist amid the ongoing conflict in the occupied West Bank, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.
Filmmakers Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist born in 1996, and Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist born in 1995, accepted the award at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. The film triumphed over other nominees, including Sugarcane, Porcelain War, Soundtrack to a Coup d’État and Black Box Diaries.
Directed by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor in their directorial debut, the film is an act of resistance documenting the ongoing conflict in the region. A co-production between Palestine and Norway, it had its world premiere at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won both the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary and the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.
During his acceptance speech, Adra highlighted the ongoing hardships faced by Palestinians, and stated: “Two months ago, I became a father, and my hope for my daughter is that she will not have to live in fear—fear of settlers, violence, home demolitions, and forced displacements, which my community endures daily under Israeli occupation.” He urged the international community to take action against what he described as the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
Abraham emphasised the power of collaboration between Palestinians and Israelis in making their voices heard. He condemned the destruction in Gaza and called for the release of Israeli hostages taken on October 7. He also acknowledged the stark disparity between his life as an Israeli citizen under civilian law and Adra’s reality under Israeli military rule.
“When I look at Basel, I see my brother, but we are unequal,” Abraham said. “We live under a system where I am free, and Basel is subject to laws that destroy his life. There is another path—a political solution without ethnic supremacy, where both our peoples have national rights.”
Calling for a change in US foreign policy, Abraham concluded, “Can’t you see that we are intertwined? My people will only be truly safe when Basel’s people are truly free and safe. It’s not too late—for life, for the living. There is no other way.”
No Other Land provides an intimate portrayal of life in Masafer Yatta, a rural area of the West Bank where Palestinian villagers face the ongoing threat of expulsion by Israeli Defense Forces, who claim the land for military training.
The documentary follows the journey of Adra, a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, as he fights against the mass displacement of his community. Since his childhood, Adra has captured the demolition of homes and the forced removal of residents under military occupation. His story intersects with that of Abraham, an Israeli journalist who supports his efforts. Despite their collaboration, the stark disparity between their lives — Adra’s under occupation and Abraham’s in freedom — strains their partnership.
Filmed over four years from 2019 to 2023, the documentary wrapped production in October 2023, offering a deeply personal and urgent account of life under occupation.
