When he first picked up a video camera, Hebron-born Palestinian activist Basel Adra had no idea that it would take him, his cause, and his land to one of the world’s most influential platforms for visual storytelling, a ceremony viewed by 19.7 million Americans and many more around the globe.
Through experimentation and passion, he found a way to create impact, defend his homeland, share the story of his people in the villages of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, and document their experience of ethnic cleansing and assault by the occupation.
The documentary he helped make with three other activists, called No Other Land, marked the first-ever Palestinian presence at the Academy Awards, following the film’s victory at the Berlin International Film Festival. Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham co-directed it with Adra, Hamdan Ballal (a Palestinian) and Rachel Szor (an Israeli). This gave the impression that the film was a joint Palestinian-Israeli production. Al Majalla spoke to Adra about this and more.
What do you think it was about No Other Land that set it apart from the competition at the Oscars?
It seems that what we managed to achieve as a team was to present a living, breathing narrative, through sound, movement, and human presence. We brought to life the scenes of ethnic cleansing and the systematic abuse of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta by Israeli settlers and soldiers.
It also appears that we succeeded in opening Western eyes to our reality. For the first time, a Palestinian story was showcased on the Oscars stage to a global audience. The West has long adopted the Israeli narrative, so for the first time we were able to present a Palestinian perspective—one of daily oppression and suffering.
What motivated you to make this film?
Since I was a teenager, I always felt a duty to tell the story of Masafer Yatta. It is a small village in the Hebron governorate, but even some Palestinians don't know about it because the media rarely sheds light on our story.
Masafer Yatta is part of Area C, which, according to the Oslo II Accords, means that it is under full Israeli security control. In practice, this means that residents are subjected to harsh living conditions, relentless persecution, and constant threats of displacement.
We face daily assaults and unchecked lawlessness. Facing this relentless injustice, we had no choice but to resist. In this, we were supported by leftist Israeli activists who recognised our right to live on our land and documented the injustices we endured, through numerous investigative reports.
I also realised that by using my camera, I could document what my people were experiencing. It was like developing a third eye—one that could convey my emotions and thoughts to a wider audience. I wanted to communicate with the world, in my own way. Perhaps that is also what caught the Academy’s attention—a tangible, authentic story filled with raw moments that audiences could connect with.
What were the main challenges you and your team faced making this film?
The most pressing challenge was the location. It is exhausting and unsettling to live in a place constantly subjected to raids, inspections, vandalism, and chaos at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers. It is all part of a systematic plan to drive us off our land.
One of the greatest difficulties was hiding our cameras from Israeli settlers intent on destruction. Our cameras were frequently damaged or confiscated. It took us longer than usual to make the film because many scenes were lost and had to be reshot due to the frequent raids by Israeli soldiers and settlers.
Sometimes, we had to pause our editing to confront settlers. We worked under brutal conditions, constantly at risk of persecution. I have been beaten and assaulted by Israeli settlers and soldiers. I have also been arrested multiple times for holding my camera and defending my village. I never wavered. The road ahead is long, but not impossible.
How did the real-life experiences featured in the film help convey the story in the most powerful way?
We aimed to make the scenes feel as though they were unfolding in real time—capturing the essence of life in Masafer Yatta. The voices, the cries, the shouts, and even the words of soldiers and settlers—all were integral to our storytelling. We wanted the audience to hear homes being demolished, of raids taking place. The film had to be as disturbing as our reality.
The use of multiple cameras during filming served a larger purpose. It was not just about capturing the Palestinian perspective but also the perspectives of Israelis, Germans, Americans, among others. We sought to showcase different angles, diverse viewpoints, through a multicultural lens. We left space for audiences from all backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities to interpret the scenes on their own.
