From left, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, Basel Adra, and Yuval Abraham onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars.

Educate yourself: Projects besides ‘No Other Land’ about life in Palestine

The Oscar-winning doc still hasn't received a nationwide release, so here are other projects about the displacement of Palestinians

From left, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, Basel Adra, and Yuval Abraham onstage during the 97th Annual Oscars.

Oscars

Words by Anjana Pawa

Following the Academy Award win for No Other Land, global attention has turned to the film’s subject matter: the displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and in the ongoing war-zone of Gaza. The documentary was co-directed by Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal, and Rachel Szor, a group of both Palestinians and Israelis. The film chronicles years of demolitions and evictions in the South Hebron Hills in the West Bank and the efforts by residents to remain on their land amid increasing military and settler pressure. Its portrayal of the violence and displacement faced by Palestinians in the West Bank is direct and grounded in lived experience.

In the weeks after the Oscars, Ballal was taken by the Israel Defense Forces after reportedly being brutally attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. For days, there was no information on his whereabouts as he was held in military custody. The Academy Award-winning director has since been released from military detention after being held for weeks. The abduction drew international attention and concern, with human rights organizations and members of the film community prompting widespread calls for his release.

Even though it still has not received nationwide release in the United States, interest in No Other Land has grown and continues to grow in the wake of its Oscar recognition, and some are seeking additional documentaries, films, and media that explore the same themes: Palestinian land dispossession, life under Israeli military occupation, and stories of grassroots resistance—all rooted in real experiences.

Here are some projects that can offer you further context on Palestinian life with a homeland under occupation.

5 Broken Cameras (2011)

This landmark documentary, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2013, is both a personal record and political testimony. Filmed by Emad Burnat, a Palestinian farmer in the West Bank village of Bil’in, and co-directed by Burnat and Israeli filmmaker Guy Davidi, 5 Broken Cameras documents years of nonviolent resistance against Israel’s separation wall and settlement expansion of the West Bank. The film is structured around the destruction of five cameras, each marking a new chapter of escalating violence and personal loss. It’s available to rent on Amazon Prime.

Mo (2022-present)

This Netflix show, created by Mo Amer and Ramy Youssef, explores the life of a Palestinian refugee in Houston. The semi-autobiographical dramedy follows a man navigating the complexities of undocumented life while trying to support his family, exploring themes of asylum backlogs, statelessness, and trauma through a funny and emotionally grounded lens. It resists stereotypes, instead portraying a multidimensional character shaped by displacement, generational trauma, and hope.

The Hundred Years War On Palestine by Rashid Khalidi (2020)

Historian Rashid Khalidi walks readers through several turning points of the last 75 years of occupation.

Cover of "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine"

Historian Rashid Khalidi reframes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a sustained, colonial war against the Palestinian people. Drawing from personal family archives and decades of research and insight, Khalidi walks readers through several turning points of the last 75 years of occupation. It’s one of the most comprehensive and widely read, recently published books on the conflict, giving readers some necessary context to understand current headlines.

Salt Houses by Hala Alyan (2017)

"Salt Houses" follows the Yacoub family, Palestinians displaced from Nablus after the Six-Day War.

Cover of "Salt Houses"

This debut novel traces the lives of the Yacoub family, Palestinians displaced from Nablus after the Six-Day War. Spanning generations and cities—including Kuwait, Beirut, Paris, and Boston—the novel illustrates the lasting effects of exile and war on identity and family. This novel offers rare intimacy to stories you may hear only at surface level. The author writes with particular insight into inherited trauma and the resilience of diasporic Palestinian life.

Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza By Mosab Abu Toha (2022)

Mosab Abu Toha's poetry collection is a devastating look into life under blockade.

Cover of "Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear"

Written from within the siege of Gaza, this American Book Award-winning poetry collection is a devastating look into life under blockade. Mosab Abu Toha documents everyday survival amid violent airstrikes that bring constant loss. His poems are powerful, describing sensorial details with clear imagery. Abu Toha founded Gaza’s first English-language library and understands deeply just how impactful words can be.

The Gaza Monologues (2010–present)

"The Gaza Monologues" were written by young people aged 13-18, describing the raw, unfiltered experiences of teenagers surviving war.

"The Gaza Monologues" logo

The Gaza Monologues began as a youth-driven theatrical response to the 2008-09 Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which killed more than 1,300 Palestinians. In the aftermath, Ramallah-based ASHTAR Theatre initiated workshops with teenagers in Gaza, inviting them to write about their personal experiences during the attack. The result was a powerful collection of monologues, written by young people aged 13-18, that describe the raw, unfiltered experiences of teenagers surviving war. Since 2010, the text has been translated into 18 languages and performed in 40 countries. In 2024, the group put together the New Gaza Monologues following the ongoing war on Gaza. The script, and some videos of performances, are available to download and can be found on their website.

This American Life episodes 825 and 849

Ira Glass and his team at This American Life have a long history of telling stories from the Palestinian perspective with depth and care.

Logo of "This American Life"

If you’re more of a podcast listener, these two episodes might be for you. Ira Glass and his team at This American Life have a long history of telling stories from the Palestinian perspective with depth and care, often through first-person narratives. Episode 825, “Yousef’s Week,” captures the struggles of a man in Rafah attempting to care for his family, including his pregnant sister, as they’ve faced displacement yet again. In episode 849, “The Narrator,” the host speaks to an 8-year-old girl living in Gaza named Banias. Initially, Banias talks about her friends and favorite activities, offering a glimpse into her world. As their conversations progress, she begins to open up about the realities of living in a war zone, giving us a real-world glimpse into a child’s experience. Both episodes deliver real-world experiences that strip away abstraction. Look for them on your favorite podcast app.