This film was created to bring to life the themes being explored in the art installations “Sumud: I Give You My Word” and “Believe in Freedom”.
The film begins with an explanation of the word Sumud and a poem by Ahmed Abu Artema1 – a writer, activist and self-described dreamer who instigated the Great March of Return, (2018-2019). These are translated eloquently into Arabic by Huda Alhaj.
Images of the installations appear on the screen during these readings.
Next another poet is introduced.
The poignant and deeply sad poem by Khaled Juma, “Oh Rascal Children of Gaza”, which begs Gaza’s missing children to return.
Since the 7 October attacks in which 33 children were killed in Israel, more than 13,800 children have been killed in Gaza and 113 in the West Bank, and over 12,009 children have been injured in Gaza and at least 725 children in the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Save the Children – 4 Apr 2024).
Scene 2 begins with empty swings influenced by Banki’s haunting image “Gaza Swings”. In our film the children do return. They laugh and play. They pick up little bird-kites and enable the birds to fly.
The notion of making the birds into small kites was influenced by Refaat Alareer’s poem, “If I Must Die”2. The bird-kites symbolise both freedom for Palestinians trapped in Gaza before and during this present Genocide and the “angels” who did not survive the Israeli onslaught.
The film is essentially hopeful and we march and call for a long life for Palestine. Viva Viva Palestina!
The birds flying freely at the film’s conclusion mark our belief that one day soon Palestine will be Free.
Directed by Christine Dawson Videographer and Editing – Alyx Rigney Additional Footage – Rilda Taneko Arabic Voiceover – Huda Alhaj Music by Chris Price
1 On October 24th Ahmed’s 13 year old son, two of his aunts, one of the aunt’s daughters and his step-mother were killed by an Israeli bomb. Ahmed had second degree burns which are healing.–
2 On 6th December Refaat was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Northern Gaza, along with his brother, sister and four of his nephews.