11 hours Ago By Zoe Delaney,Gemma Jones
The Palestinian-Israeli cinematic creation No Other Land claimed the coveted Oscar for best documentary feature film, with its team displaying a united front with the Palestinians during their triumphant moment at the 97th Academy Awards . As they took to the stage, the words of Palestinian journalist Basel Adra resonated powerfully. He spoke of how his community is perpetually "always feeling displacement" and suffering "under occupation", issuing a plea for global action "to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people ".
Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham then shared the reality that, unlike Adra, he lives "free under civil law" in stark contrast to the different legislation under which Adra exists in Israel . Further critical comments from Abraham targeted "the foreign policy" of the US, as hindering Palestinians in their pursuit of self-governance, stating plainly there's an alternative path for "there is another way, for life and the living". The solemnity of the occasion was captured as Adra accepted the Oscar, stating: "No Other Land reflects the harsh reality that we have been enduring for decades and still persist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people," which was then met by the reverberating sound of applause.
Social media was alight following the ceremony, with one tweet (X) expressing a bittersweet sentiment: "NO OTHER LAND! ! ! ! No Other Land now has more Oscars than it did distribution offers. A great and enduring shame upon the American film industry. free Palestine forever.
" Another Twitter user, moved by the speech, declared: "No Other Land has won the Oscar for Best Documentary - a film from the Palestinian-Israeli collective. Perhaps the bravest Oscars speech in history. There will be a boil over tomorrow," reports the Mirror .
No Other Land, a film based on real events, narrates the tale of a young Palestinian activist named Basel Adra who has been opposing the forced displacement of his people by Israel 's military in Masafer Yatta, a region in the West Bank. From a young age, Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, has been resisting the forced eviction of his community by Israel 's military in Masafer Yatta, a region in the West Bank. He chronicles the gradual devastation of his homeland, where Israeli soldiers are razing homes and expelling their inhabitants to create a military firing zone.
He strikes up an unexpected friendship with Yuval, a Jewish Israeli journalist who backs him in his struggle. Their relationship is put to the test by the stark disparity in their living conditions: while Basel faces constant oppression and violence, Yuval enjoys freedom and security..
