JERUSALEM: Actor and filmmaker Mohammed Bakri, a champion of the Palestinian cause, died on Wednesday aged 72, a hospital spokesperson said.
He was known for his documentary “Jenin, Jenin” and his commitment to the Palestinians, which led to frequent confrontations with Israeli authorities.
“Mohammed Bakri died this Wednesday at the Galilee Medical Center” in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, hospital spokesperson Gal Zaid told AFP.
He died from heart and lung problems, according to his family.
Born in Galilee in 1953 into a Muslim family, Bakri was an Israeli citizen.
He appeared in leading Israeli films but was also directed by the French-Greek director Costa-Gavras and Italian filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani.
His role as a Palestinian inmate in an Israeli prison in the 1980s film “Beyond the Walls” earned him critical acclaim in Israel and around the world.
But his international renown grew with the release of 2002’s “Jenin, Jenin,” which denounced alleged Israeli war crimes in the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank during the Second Intifada.
The Israeli Supreme Court upheld a ban on the film in 2022, deeming it “defamatory.”
The father of six also directed several socially conscious documentaries about the situation of Palestinian citizens of Israel.
Arab-Israeli radio station A-Shams published a tribute on its social media, describing Bakri as a “free voice.”
“From his early days in theater, art was not simply a pastime for Mohammed Bakri, but a tool for raising awareness and engaging in dialogue,” the radio station said.
“The legacy left by Mohammed Bakri will remain, reminding us that art can be an act of resistance.”
Mohammed Bakri, filmmaker who championed Palestinian cause, dies aged 72
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Mohammed Bakri, filmmaker who championed Palestinian cause, dies aged 72
- Bakri was known for his documentary “Jenin, Jenin” which denounced alleged Israeli war crimes in the Jenin refugee camp
- The father of six also directed several socially conscious documentaries about the situation of Palestinian citizens of Israel
‘Palestine 36’ set for Saudi cinemas in January
DUBAI: Filmmaker Annemarie Jacir’s “Palestine 36,” which screened at Jeddah’s Red Sea International Film Festival, is scheduled for release in Saudi cinemas on Thursday.
The sweeping historical epic — Palestine’s official entry to the Oscars this year, which made it to the official longlist — is a deep exploration of resistance, resilience and the struggle of the Palestinian people.
“Palestine 36” is set during the 1936 Arab Revolt and follows five interconnected narratives as villages across Palestine confront British colonial rule.
With rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe, and the Palestinian population uniting against Britain’s 30-year dominion, all sides spiral toward inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.
The film won the Best Film award at the Tokyo International Film Festival.
Jacir — whose three previous feature films “Salt of this Sea,” “When I Saw You,” and “Wajib” were also official Palestinian Oscar entries — hopes “Palestine 36” will provide a mirror for audiences, particularly those from colonized or war-affected countries.
“I hope people see themselves in the film,” she told Arab News in December. “I don’t want to teach anyone anything. There’s a lot of history in the film and there’s a lot of history that’s been erased. I hope that’s something that comes through.”
The film features an ensemble cast, including Oscar-winner Jeremy Irons, “Game of Thrones” star Liam Cunningham, and Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine, alongside Palestinian talents Hiam Abbass, Yasmine Al-Massri, Kamel El Basha, and Saleh Bakri.
At the Red Sea International Film Festival premiere of the film in December, Jacir walked the red carpet with Palestinian Jordanian designer Reema Dahbour, who dressed the director for the event.
Dahbour created a custom piece titled “From the River to the Sea,” which she described on social media as “a dress born from our narrative, our symbols, and our enduring connection to the land. A garment that mirrors the spirit showcased so powerfully in the film.”
