Palestinians win their 1st Emmy with ‘5 Broken Cameras’

Emad Burnat, from the village of Bil’in, who co-directed the Oscar-nominated film with Israel’s Guy Davidi, is the 1st Palestinian to have won an Emmy.

 

 

The Oscar-nominated film “5 Broken Cameras,” a chronicle of Palestinian nonviolent resistance co-directed by Palestinian Emad Burnat and Israeli Guy Davidi, nabbed the best documentary award at the 41st annual International Emmy Awards.

Palestinian director Emad Burnat with his best documentary Emmy.

Producer Christine Camdessus and Palestinian director Emad Burnat with their best documentary award during the 41st International Emmy Awards in New York, November 25, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

Burnat said he is the first Palestinian to win an Emmy. Palestinians “need your support and help,” he was quoted as saying by Variety.

“5 Broken Cameras” was made from footage shot by Burnat, a resident of the Palestinian village of Bil’in, over several years beginning in 2005. It documents the childhood of his son, Gibreel, against the backdrop of the protests the village residents had staged against the construction of the security fence on land that they owned.

During the course of the filming, several Burnat’s cameras were broken during confrontations with Israeli soldiers, providing the film with its name. Burnat witnessed Israeli troops injuring his friends and relatives during clashes between the two sides.

AP

‘5 Broken Cameras’ co-directors, Guy Davidi, left, and Emad Burnat, earlier this year. – Photo: AP

“5 Broken Cameras” has been screened at a number of film festivals and won the award for best Israeli documentary at the 2012 Jerusalem Film Festival. It also took the prize for best documentary directing in the World Cinema category at the Sundance Film Festival.

It was nominated for an Academy Award in the documentary feature category this year, but lost to “Searching for Sugarman.”

An Israeli reality television show, Channel 2’s “Dear Neighbors, Help Our Daughter Find Love,” was nominated for an International Emmy in the non-scripted entertainment category, but was defeated by an Australian show, “Go Back to Where You Came From.”

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/culture/arts-leisure/1.560211