By Janet Ekstract, ISTANBUL- On December 8, at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul, Co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, Basel Adra met Turkish President Erdogan privately for a congratulatory meeting on the success the documentary has garnered. The Turkish president spoke to Adra about how anyone who attempts to document what happens in Gaza, turns into a direct target. Erdogan offered his condolences to Adra for his close friend Awdah Hathaleen who was killed by Israeli settlers, extending his sympathy to all those who lost their lives under such circumstances. Erdogan also told Adra that he admired the courage he demonstrated in making the documentary. He further told Adra just how crucial it is to document what happens in the occupied territories with visual material, explaining that the Palestinian cause has evolved “through photographs and maps.” The Turkish leader also said that mainstream cinema has failed to reflect Palestinian suffering, as Erdogan said, “it is a fact that Palestinian tragedy is not adequately addressed in the film industry.” He also highlighted that this year’s Academy Awards showed an even stronger support for the Palestinian cause and said he hopes that support will be boosted through more work like Adra’s.
No Other Land, ajoint production by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor – focuses on a region in the southern tip of the West Bank known as Masafer Yatta, where Palestinians resist Israel’s policy of demolition and forced displacement. The documentary follows Adra, recording the destruction the Israeli Army carried out, as part of its plan to turn the area into a military training zone. The documentary is based on real events that occurred between 2019 and 2023 which gathers images from Palestinian homes, personal archives, news footage and conversations between Israelis and Palestinians. No Other Land highlights a striking testimony of life under occupation with repeated demolitions and a continuous search for the truth.
The Turkish president underscored his vision of artistic work, explaining, “the fundamental mission of art is to pursue the truth,” adding that he considers No Other Land fundamentally important in creating global awareness. As Erdogan commented: “I consider your documentary, ‘No Other Land,’ which has won awards at many international events, extremely important in awakening global conscience.” He urged Adra to continue his work to further public support and awareness of what’s happening in Palestine. No Other Land had alredy received Best Documentary at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, won the Panorama Audience Award and was honored by Germany’s public broadcaster RBB.
