The People and the Olive (2012) User Reviews

Beautiful and powerful

[trelawneygm · 10/10 · 11 November 2012]

In this beautifully made documentary, viewers are given an inside perspective on the lives of Palestinian olive farmers struggling against unjust Israeli policies. Seen through the eyes of American runners, we are allowed to enter the transformative process of witnessing life in a conflict zone, with all of its complexity and paradox. As one Palestinian defiantly declares, "Our joy is our strength." The film effectively takes the viewer along on the journey through the West Bank, and we are given a powerful sense of the connectedness between land and people. The runners participate in the struggles of Palestinian farmers - they are even attacked by Israeli soldiers, simply for planting tiny seedlings on a farmer's own land. But the film, for all its solidarity with the farmers, manages to avoid sending a divisively anti-Israel message. In fact, it avoids larger geopolitical issues entirely. Rather, it speaks authentically about the struggle to overcome inter-group divisions and the hope for a better tomorrow.

A new approach to draw international attention to the Israeli occupation

[m-farouk · 10/10 · 25 September 2013]

A great movie that gives you an insight on life inside Palestine. A nice way to approach multiple audiences. It describes the effect of the occupation in Palestine on the Palestinians and all the residents of the area, shows the wall, the practices of the Israeli army in the detention of Palestinians - just for being Palestinian, trying to discourage the runners from drawing any international attention by telling them that running in the streets is illegal. Shows the detention of activists with no real reason, etc

Shows the graffiti on the wall that includes a lot the symbols of Palestinian identity and hopes for freedom.

Also shows how a Palestinian girl with US citizenship can't cross the border from Palestine to Israel for being a Palestinian American while all other runners can cross to complete their run and return back.