"Documentary Film "Masafer Yatta" about South Hebron Hills Seeks Support
Masafer Yatta Documentary Crowdfunder Video from Sade Joseph on Vimeo.
“They destroy, I rebuild,” shouts Rasmiya Mohammad moments after her home is raided by the Israeli army. Her house in the South Hebron Hills of Palestine has been demolished and rebuilt several times since the Israelis declared her land part of a “closed military zone” in the 1980s. Her words embody a shared sentiment in Masafer Yatta, a group of shepherding and farming communities in the South Hebron Hills where most reside in caves and tents.
The Film
Masafer Yatta is a documentary film that takes an intimate look at the lives of these residents as they resist the threat of eviction, in the context of an ongoing legal battle with the Israeli court. The film will focus primarily on one extended family living among two of the villages in Masafer Yatta: Rasmiya who resides with her family in the village of Jinba, and her brother Ziad who is the last remaining resident of the nearby village of Bir Il ‘Id.
Rasmiya and Ziad are the maternal aunt and uncle of Ryah Aqel, the project’s creator and lead filmmaker. The film will delve into her family’s world as they navigate life in the South Hebron Hills. Aqel was raised on stories of Jinba and Bir Il ‘Id, from the comical to the tragic, and has always been in awe of her family’s resilience. The filmmakers envision Masafer Yatta being an important tool to stimulate both dialogue and tangible action.
Masafer Yatta needs your support!
This campaign will support Masafer Yatta’s first stage of production in Palestine, including travel expenses, insurance, and basic equipment needs. The filmmakers are based in New York and plan to spend 3 weeks in Masafer Yatta collecting stories, conducting on-camera interviews with community members, and capturing essential footage for the documentary.
This summer, the filmmakers will travel to Palestine to begin collecting footage for the documentary. But this trip will not be possible without your support. Check out the Indiegogo campaign [http://igg.me/at/masaferyatta/x/10767942], where you can learn more about the film and hear about why now is the moment for this film to be made. Help kick off this project by making a donation and sharing with your community.
Sponsorship
Contributions made through the Indiegogo campaign will cover the filmmakers’ basic travel and equipment needs for the first phase of filming in July. If you are interested in contributing to other aspects of the project, becoming a sponsor, or learning more about producer positions, please e-mail us at masaferyatta@gmail.com.