"We don't have time for wars"

Screening with great success at this year's Berlinale, 'Budrus' is an incredible documentary that sheds new light on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. When the Israeli government initiates the construction of a ‘security’ wall on Palestinian soil, the small town of Budrus is set to lose access to their cemetery and a significant portion of their olive groves. As the bulldozers move in and begin to uproot the olive trees, they are effectively uprooting the town's livelihood- their income, history and tradition. With a strong background in the resistance movement, local resident Ayed Morrar leads the community in a peaceful protest against the invasion.

The documentary was initiated by 'Just Vision', an organisation that uses multimedia as a tool for education and empowerment; promoting non-violent and collaborative efforts to end conflict between Israel and Palestine. Following the screening, director Julia Bacha spoke about the general fatigue associated with the conflict. In response to this, 'Budrus' aims to counter the negative press that overwhelms the media and reinforce the sense that civilians still have a role to play.

During the film, Ayed Morrar says something along the lines of: 'A peaceful protest scares the army more than violence.' With the construction site occupied by the whole community; men, women, children and the elderly; the Israeli army is virtually handcuffed in terms of what action they can take. More importantly, the government is unable to brand them as terrorists. Gathering widespread media attention and respect, supporters begin to arrive from local villages and abroad. But it is when a group of young Israelis arrive lend their support to the non-violent protest that many of the locals become aware of a common vision and we catch a glimpse of reconciliation.

'Budrus' is not without its dark moments. In many ways it explores a community's natural descent into violence and chaos when bullied by a more powerful and organised force. Through interviews with Israeli protesters and a young female Israeli soldier, we also see the helplessness from their perspective, risking prosecution and imprisonment if they do not complete their compulsory military service or support the national political interest.

A visually arresting piece of cinema, 'Budrus' was compiled out of 200+ hours of footage that was shot by professionals, locals, journalists and protesters from abroad. The camera's presence amidst this type of action is an interesting phenomenon. Whilst documenting the events and human drama necessary to tell the story, the camera also plays an important role by protecting civilians against potential human rights violations. This multitasking lens gives us an incredible insight into the process of non-violent action.

'We don't have time for wars'. Ayed declares this at the very start of the film. However, after ten months of relentless non-violent action, the sheer devotion of this community renders this statement somewhat ironic. In any case, it is a devotion that will hopefully travel and inspire many audiences across the world.

You can find more information about the film and Just Vision here: www.justvision.com