Palestine 36: Roads to Resistance

Resistance is justified, when a people are occupied. This common refrain reverberated through my mind as I watched Palestine 36, directed by Annemarie Jacir. The film follows multiple interconnected stories of resistance and complicity in 1936 Palestine. Specifically the film explores those connected to a farmer-led revolt in 1936 Palestine against the British occupying forces.

The characters we follow range from a priest and his young son, to a journalist and her husband, a revolutionary leader, and more. The film effectively shows how colonial occupation permeates all aspects of the lives of the Palestinian people. There were many standout acting performances within the film - I was particularly moved by the child actors, as well as, Karim Daoud Anaya (Yusuf) and Saleh Bakri (Khalid). There is a particular moment involving the young son of the priest where I was absolutely moved to tears. Palestine 36 showed how people resist in all different ways, through reporting, through force, through collection action and so much more. Each one of them equally valid and important. I was so deeply moved by the unwavering resistance of all of the characters in the film.

British colonialism is on full display here - the occupying forces are almost laughable in how inept and awful they are. You would laugh if not for the abject horror that they inflict. Their hypocrisy and brutality are ever apparent through the eyes of our multiple leads. Utter disgust and revulsion are words that came to mind upon witnessing their actions.

I did find that the interspersed clips of historical renderings of key moments took me out of the moment. I also found the film got off to a slower, uneven start as we were jumping from story to story quickly, leaving me wishing we had more time to sit with these characters. I was invested in each of their stories, and found myself wanting more. However, perhaps that is the point, that these stories are the stories of many, that they are not unique stories of Palestinian resistance, but threads in the tapestry of the enduring and unending Palestinian resistance over time.

The film ends with multiple heartbreaking conclusions, but is also grounded in hopeful moments of resistance (small and large). The credits roll. The stories continue. From Turtle Island to Palestine, we take heed of the continued resistance of the Palestinian people from 1936 to today. We remember. We witness. We resist. In any way we can.