No Other Land (Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor) — A Film Review by Adithya Kamesh

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]o Other Land is a riveting documentary that captures the mass expulsion of the Palestinian villagers of Masafer Yatta, a community of 20 hamlets housing native Palestinians. The film is a collaborative work by four activists—Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor. The film premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama section, where it received critical acclaim. It went on to win the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary Film and the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.

The narrative is straightforward: minimal in style yet profound in impact. We follow Basel Adra, who begins documenting the destruction of Palestinian homes in 2019, capturing the Israeli military’s ongoing efforts to forcibly displace the residents of Masafer Yatta. Spanning three years, the film portrays the slow and steady erosion of a community. As an act of resistance, Basel takes to social media to shed light on these atrocities. In this effort, he is supported by an Israeli journalist, Yuval Abraham, with whom he forms a friendship. This relationship, evolving against a backdrop of destruction and displacement, offers a nuanced view of solidarity.

Archival footage takes us back to Basel’s childhood, shrouded in activism—both of his parents have long resisted the military occupation. This generational struggle is woven into the narrative, highlighting the enduring spirit of resistance that defines his family and community.

As we dive deeper, layers of complex themes unfold, meshing seamlessly to form a compelling, cohesive narrative that lingers in the mind long after the final scene fades.

[et_pb_image src="https://inverse.azan-n.com/content/images/2026/04/adithya-featuredimage2.jpg" title_text="Adithya-FeaturedImage2" align="center" force_fullwidth="on" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_image]

Woman sitting on the ruins of her house destroyed by Israeli authorities in Masafer Yatta, January 2023
By שי קנדלר - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Licencse

[et_pb_heading title="Themes of intergenerational struggle" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" max_width="700px" module_alignment="center" custom_margin="||55px|||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_heading]

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]ne of the most striking aspects of No Other Land is how the theme of intergenerational struggle unfolds through its storytelling. This theme is conveyed effortlessly, as the film juxtaposes two narratives: archival footage from Basel’s childhood and newer footage capturing recent and current events.

The scenes from the past carry a warm, almost bittersweet quality, taking us back to the roots of Basel’s resilient spirit. In one such scene, Basel’s father takes the entire family and neighbors on a trip. As an army vehicle crosses their bus, someone says, “The army’s car passed by us!” Basel’s father replies “Who cares? They’re probably running away.” The scene has an understated poetry to it, speaking volumes with just a few words.

These moments serve as a bridge between past and present, highlighting that their struggles—and their determination to resist—have transcended generations. The film subtly celebrates this intergenerational struggle, inviting viewers to feel admiration for the Palestinian people’s unwavering spirit. Through its narrative, No Other Land conveys a sense of continuity, showing that resistance has always been part of their heritage, inherited like a cherished legacy.

[et_pb_heading title="Land and identity" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" max_width="700px" module_alignment="center" custom_margin="||55px|||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_heading]

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he overarching theme of No Other Land is the profound connection between Palestinians and their land, a connection shared by indigenous communities across the globe—a connection that lies at the very core of indigenous identity. For indigenous populations, land isn’t merely where they live; it’s a piece of their heritage, culture, and sense of self.

Yet, across time and geographies, indigenous communities have been repeatedly displaced in State and corporate interests. From the Amazon to the Congo, native lands are being taken away at an astonishing rate, as political powers that are meant to protect indigenous rights instead collude against them, leaving these communities even more vulnerable. Art and literature have created the space to celebrate indigenous culture, recount their history, but most importantly, bear witness to the injustices inflicted upon them—acts of violence, displacement, and erasure by political and corporate actors.

Through this lens, the film becomes a poignant statement on the Palestinian struggle, portraying displacement as not merely an attack on livelihoods but an assault on identity—a deliberate attempt to turn Palestinians into strangers on their own soil, to erase an entire culture. The film’s message resonates with ongoing struggles around the world, where natives battle to reclaim their rights to their lands, their bodies, and their identities. No Other Land invites viewers into these discussions, amplifying the voices of the marginalized and highlighting the universal struggles of indigenous communities to safeguard their roots and resist erasure.

[et_pb_heading title="Militarization" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" max_width="700px" module_alignment="center" custom_margin="||54px|||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_heading]

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nother central theme is how militarization, by design, systematically undermines the livelihoods of indigenous populations worldwide. This phenomenon is not isolated—it can be observed across multiple regions.

Tosamaidan is a beautiful, lush meadow, located in the Budgam District in the Kashmir Valley. The largest pasture in its surroundings, it is 4.8 kms (3 mi) in length and 2.4 kms (1.5 mi) in width. During summers, the nomadic and pastoral communities of Gujjars, Bokarwals and Chopans, use these as grazing grounds for their livestock, while wildflowers dot the vibrant green pastures, making this one of the most picturesque spots in the world.

[et_pb_image src="https://inverse.azan-n.com/content/images/2026/04/adithya-featuredimage3.jpg" title_text="Adithya-FeaturedImage3" force_fullwidth="on" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_image]

A routine peak summer scene at Tosamaidan, a grazer and his herd. KL Image: Special Arrangement

In 1964, this meadow was leased to the Indian Army for 50 years to serve as an artillery firing range. Because of its proximity to inhabited areas, the meadow quickly became a dangerous zone. Unexploded mortars and grenades littered the area, claiming lives and leaving several people maimed. When the lease was set to renew in 2014, local communities united in protest, rallying against the ongoing military occupation of their grazing lands. Their persistence paid off, and the meadow was ultimately opened for tourists.

This story resonates strongly with the situation in the Occupied West Bank, where the Israeli military is seeking to displace villagers from Masafer Yatta to establish a tank training ground. The humanitarian dangers here are obvious: with a military zone so close to villages, local lives and livelihoods will be at constant risk. But there’s also a deeper issue at play, one that deserves discussion. Should military expansion override the rights of indigenous people who have lived on their land for generations? How many times must native communities be forced from their homes?

Unfortunately, these questions are rarely discussed. Instead, narratives cast native populations as obstacles to military expansion, erasing the human cost involved. Towards the end of the movie, we are told that a leaked Israeli document exposed a disturbing truth: the tank training ground in Masafer Yatta was initially planned to “block Arab villagers from expanding.”

This raises further uncomfortable questions: when we see indigenous communities displaced for military purposes, are they truly victims of "necessary" expansion, or is this a cover for their systematic disenfranchisement? How often has military expansion masked a deliberate campaign to sever indigenous communities from their land?

[et_pb_heading title="Discussions on resistance" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" max_width="700px" module_alignment="center" custom_margin="||55px|||" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_heading]

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]erhaps the film’s most profound theme lies in its meditative discussions on resistance.

No Other Land captures, with raw poignancy, the enduring spirit of Palestinian resistance. Just as the struggles are woven through generations, so too is their unbreakable will to resist. In the film’s opening moments, video recordings from the past show Basel at age seven, joining his first protest against the occupation alongside his father, mother, and even his grandfather—an entire family bound by a shared fight for dignity.

Today, Basel is both a documentarian and an organizer, courageously chronicling the Israeli military’s aggression while simultaneously rallying his fellow villagers to protest injustice. When their homes are torn down, they rebuild. And when their homes are torn down again, they rebuild once more, refusing to yield to the ceaseless threats of the military or the armed settlers who march into their village under military watch.

This resolute defiance, even in the face of possible death, is a quality no one can strip from them. The resilience of the Palestinian people is not merely a survival mechanism but a testament to an unbreakable spirit of the Palestinians—a reminder that they will always find a way to endure.

[et_pb_image src="https://inverse.azan-n.com/content/images/2026/04/adithya-featuredimage4.jpg" title_text="Adithya-FeaturedImage4" force_fullwidth="on" _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" global_colors_info="{}" theme_builder_area="post_content"][/et_pb_image]

Settlers attack on Al Mufakara, September 2021
By באסל אל-עדרה - Original, CC BY-SA 4.0, License

In today’s time, it’s crucial to amplify Palestinian voices and art in every possible way. Time and again, we see distorted narratives, which function against the interests of the Palestinians, perpetuated by Western Mainstream Media. Beyond this, Palestinian voices are actively deplatformed—most recently, Netflix removed all content by Palestinian artists, a move widely condemned by artists globally. In India, No Other Land was abruptly canceled from screening, at the very last moment, at two prestigious festivals, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF).

Amidst these attempts to silence Palestinian artists, it’s imperative to find alternative ways to support and showcase their work. By elevating these voices on parallel mediums, fostering thoughtful discussion, and keeping Palestinian art alive, we stand in solidarity with their enduring fight for justice.

No Other Land is an important documentary for multiple reasons. First, its timing is crucial—emerging amidst the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the film shines a light on the equally brutal realities of the Israeli occupation in the West Bank. Second, at a time when Palestinian voices are being systematically silenced worldwide, this documentary offers a powerful and courageous effort to reclaim that space. But perhaps most importantly, like the archival footage woven throughout the film, No Other Land stands as a witness to the truth. It serves not only to counter the dominant narratives that distort Palestinian struggles but also as a beacon of resistance, bearing testament to the atrocities committed by the Israeli military.

[et_pb_code _builder_version="4.27.4" _module_preset="default" theme_builder_area="post_content" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]

[/et_pb_code]

Official trailer for No Other Land