93 min
Mahdi Fleifel
Documentary
2012 - Lebanon, UK, Denmark
Director Mahdi Fleifel's first documentary feature is inspired by his own identity as a Palestinian refugee. This captivating film immerses us in the Ain el-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon - hastily built in 1948 to absorb refugees from the Nakba, it now houses more than 70,000 refugees in one square kilometre. Fleifel spent his childhood in the camp before his family immigrated to Denmark. After their departure, Fleifel and his family regularly visited Ain el-Helweh, which he captured in a video diary. His conversations with three generations of family and childhood friends still living in the camp provide an uncensored take on life as a refugee and their grievances with Lebanon, Israel, and their own political leaders. A prominent person featured in these videos is Fleifel's close friend Abu Eyad. Bonded by their shared obsession for World Cup football and Palestinian politics, at the end of summer Fleifel has the freedom to leave while Abu Eyad must remain behind. Humourous, touching and illuminating, A World Not Ours brilliantly captures the tensions of being a Palestinian refugee through the lens of Fleifel's own personal journey.
Berlin International Film Festival (2013): Winner Peace Film Award; Edinburgh International Film Festival (2013): Best Film in the International Competition; Guanajuato International Film Festival (2013): Winner Best Documentary; Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema (2013): Nominated for Best Film; Yerevan International Film Festival (2013): Winner Silver Apricot Award; Official Selection Toronto International Film Festival (2012); Human Rights Watch Film Festival Selection
Co-presented by Human Rights Watch Film Festival
Screened with House