After Night of Beating: Israel frees Palestinian Oscar-winning Ballal
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Israel released Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal, a co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” after he was assaulted by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
“After being handcuffed all night and beaten in a military base, Hamdan Ballal is now free and is about to go home to his family," wrote Israeli co-director of the film, Yuval Abraham, on X.
March 24 Attack
In a statement, the Israeli Army described a violent confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis, which followed an incident where "terrorists" allegedly threw rocks at Israeli citizens. "IDF and Israeli Police forces arrived to disperse the confrontation, at which point several terrorists began throwing rocks at the security forces," the statement noted.
"The forces detained three Palestinians, as well as an Israeli civilian involved in the violent clash. The detainees were then taken for further questioning by the Israel Police,” it added.
According to The Guardian, citing five Jewish American activists who witnessed the incident, Ballal was surrounded by approximately 15 armed settlers who threw stones and damaged a water cooler. Following the assault, he was reportedly detained by the Israeli army, along with another unidentified man. The activists who visited Billal's home later reported seeing blood on the floor.
About “No Other Land”
No Other Land won the Oscar for Best Documentary on March 2. The film highlights the struggles of Palestinians in the Masafer Yatta communities in the West Bank, who are fighting to maintain their way of life amidst an Israeli initiative to demolish their homes. It was co-directed by a Palestinian-Israeli collective that included Basel Adra, Abraham, Hamdan Bilal, and Rachel Szor.
The documentary premiered at the 2024 Berlinale, where filmmakers' remarks at the closing ceremony sparked accusations of antisemitism, criticized by German politicians.
The film was not picked up by any US distributor, yet it has grossed over $1.7 million at the North American box office, thanks to Cinetic Media's effort in booking cinemas with Michael Tuckman. Additionally, it has made more than $700,000 internationally through distributors licensed by Autlook Film Sales.
