Budrus is a 2009 Israeli/Palestinian/American documentary film directed by Julia Bacha, produced by Ronit Avni, Rula Salameh, and Julia Bacha, and with a screenplay by Bacha. The film is about non-violent demonstrations conducted by the residents of Budrus (a Palestinian town in the Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate) during the early 2000s to protest against the building of the Israeli West Bank barrier inside of the village.
Budrus debuted on the festival circuit at the Dubai International Film Festival on December 13, 2009. Its theatrical release was on September 24, 2010, in the UK. and on October 8, 2010, in the United States (New York).
Plot
Jordana Horn in The Jewish Daily Forward states that: Budrus [is] a documentary by Julia Bacha that examines one West Bank town’s reaction to Israel’s construction of the security barrier. The town, with a population of 1,500, was set to be divided and encircled by the barrier, losing 300 acres of land and 3,000 olive trees. These trees were not only critical for economic survival but also sacred to the town’s intergenerational history. The film tells the story of Ayed Morrar, a Palestinian whose work for Fatah had led to five detentions in Israeli jails, but whose momentous strategic decision that the barrier would be best opposed by nonviolent resistance had far-reaching ramifications.
Cast
Ayed Morrar: Leader of the non-violent movement in Budrus, "uniting all local Palestinian political factions, including Hamas and Fatah, and encouraging hundreds of Israelis to cross into the Occupied Palestinian Territories and demonstrate in support of his village." Iltezam Morrar: The fifteen-year-old daughter of Ayed, whose "fearlessness galvanizes the entire village and affirms the importance of women in the movement. The demonstrations in Budrus marked the first time that Iltezam, like most of the village’s youth, met Israelis who were not soldiers or settlers." Kobi Snitz: Israeli activist who participated in the demonstrations in Budrus. Ahmed Awwad: A member of Hamas who aided Ayed in promoting "nonviolence as a strategic tool, best suited to achieve the village’s aims." In response to the involvement of Israeli activists in the Budrus demonstrations, Awwad stated, "We had already heard that there were some Israelis who wanted peace with the Palestinians. But these demonstrations exceeded expectations. . . . In these marches I saw these Israeli voices in real life; it wasn’t just something I heard about." Yasmine Levy: Squad commander of the Israel Border Police who "develops a complex relationship with the women in the village who call her by name in their chants." Doron Spielman: Spokesman for the Israeli army who doesn't believe that the non-violent protests will result in change.
Themes and background
In 2004, The Nation reported that if the planned construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier continued along its designated course, "the 1,200 residents of Budrus—the vast majority of whom depend on agriculture for work—will lose a large portion of their fields. An Israeli bulldozer has already carved a preliminary path, and uprooted trees lie in its wake. According to the official map released by Israel's Defense Ministry, the proposed route of the separation barrier will not only pass through this patch of land but will also loop around to encircle Budrus and eight nearby villages, creating a closed enclave with a population of 25,000. Once the area is sealed, access to fields, offices, construction sites, university classrooms, friends and relatives outside the enclave will be restricted." In response, the residents began to hold non-violent protests. Haaretz stated that although curfews were established to prevent the protests, "mainly young men violated the curfew and walked to the olive grove, to prevent the bulldozers from doing their work. Up to this week, the bulldozers have not returned to work – after they already uprooted about 60 olive trees."