They Don't Exist + Boycott

“They Do Not Exist”, directed by Mustafa Abu Ali (Palestine, 1974, 25 min) | Polish premiere

A landmark documentary of Palestinian revolutionary cinema, filmed in Lebanese refugee camps in the late 1960s. Responding to Golda Meir's words that Palestinians “don't exist,” the film combines images of everyday life in the camps, Israeli bombing and militant training with poetic commentary and experimental editing. Abu Ali shows the Palestinian experience of exile and resistance, while inscribing it in the broader history of the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. Survived from the ruins of Beirut after 1982 — after the second Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the film became one of the foundations of Palestinian cinematography — almost inaccessible for years, in 2003 it saw a symbolic screening in the director's native Jerusalem. • Festivals and awards: Leipzig FF (Diploma of Honor), Cartage FF (Prize of the Arab Critics Union), Media City FF, Cinéma du Réel, Valdivia IFF, Short Film Festival Hamburg, Dokufest

“Boycott” /"Boycott” directed by Julia Bacha (2021, USA, 73 min.) Polish premiere

Award-winning director Julia Bach lifts the edge of secrecy by revealing a movement of conservative lawmakers and lobbyists in the United States who manage to restrict free speech. Thirty-three states have introduced anti-boycott laws that require individuals and companies seeking public contracts to sign a pledge not to boycott Israel. An Arkansas journalist, an Arizona lawyer, and a Texas speech therapist who have heard they have to choose between work and political beliefs are starting a court battle. Their stories touch the heart of a pressing national issue and show how the right to free speech can be redefined in American society for generations. • Festivals and Awards: SXSW, Hot Docs, DOC NYC, Cleveland IFF, Human Rights Watch FF