Five Broken Cameras

this documentary was a true and honest eyes to what really happening in the occupied territories by the Zions in Palestine, the events show how the people of the small village Bil'in suffered by the army of the Zions that burned and killed and brook the laws, not humans laws, not world's laws, but them own laws. it has a very real touching scenes witch can make a one shed the tears without he knows, when I watched those scenes and slices from lives of real people I seen those Zions as really they are, not what their press and media whas trying to show us every day in every movie we see. this documentary make me live with El-Phil and Emad and Adeeb and Dabaa for ninety minutes and I wished to live with them some more.

I've some many documentaries and movies,an Oscar winning ones. they can't be as good, honest, realistic and lively as this.

I'm really wondering and questioning why this can't win an Oscar?!

A personal and intimate portrait of the progressing encroaching of Palestinian land by the Israeli state and their Zionist cavaliers, is filmed over a period of several years. Starting in 2005, camera after camera, "5 Broken Cameras" is frank in its portraying of the startling injustice that has beholden an entire populace.

A clear indictment of Israel as a country as well as the crazy people who claim right to the land based on biblical scripture, the olive farmer Emad Burnat films his side of the story. Naturally one can claim bias, but truly the ongoings captured on tape by the cameraman cannot be exonerated or justified, nor do any of the films detractors manage to concoct any compelling counterarguments instead of the non-sensical 'Cry Wolf' tactic. Night raids on a village in order to arrest random children? Claiming land by appropriation? Burning down orchards of peaceful farmers? Shooting at children throwing stones? Army allowing settlers to attack unarmed peaceful protesters? Banning people from building structures on their own land? Widerspread harassment techniques to stop people from protesting? Throwing people out of their own house at night because its now a "Closed Military Zone"? Shooting a captured and restrained man at point blank range in the leg? Total disregard to their own court rulings? A sniper shooting a 11 year old boy in the head? And the best Israeli apologists can come up with is... but but but... they threw rocks.

A firm believer that somewhere along the road only a one-state non-religious democratic solution can avert a brutal war. The Zionists must accept that their inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people will have to end in bloodshed - be it theirs or the genocide of the Palestinian people. Only peaceful reconciliation inspired by the greats like Nelson Mandela can counter this inevitable tragedy. Unfortunately "5 Broken Cameras" leaves little space for hope...

"5 Broken Cameras" has left me mad and riled at the international community in general, which allows an apartheid state committing daily acts of ethnic cleansing through the use of force, appropriation of land and unjust racial policies to be a member of the international community. Despite governing a state that makes South Africa's apartheid look weak and crippled, Israel has yet to have any sanctions hit against it. Even worse - USA persists in funding the same army that is brutally encroaching human rights on a daily basis.

Naturally this movie will be a minefield to review without people bringing their personal, national, or religious beliefs into the equation. As can be seen in the handful of incredibly low ratings here, this is sadly already occurring.

This is the conflict viewed through the eyes of a Palestinian villager, warts and all and as such does not shy away from recording the trials and tribulations that the cameraman and his village (and subsequently country) are confronted with on a daily basis. The argument that this movie is one sided is somewhat valid, although how anybody could expect anything else is beyond me due to the method utilized in gaining the footage. There is no secret agenda, no propaganda, it is simply the conflict as viewed by somebody who is currently living it.

Regardless of your beliefs, sympathies or country of origin this movie is worth your time for the rare insight, at ground level, that it provides. Whether you agree with either sides position in the conflict is a different debate entirely and should not be included in any kind of review. All I can say is if you are unfamiliar with what is occurring or unaware entirely this film will give you food for thought.

Emad Burnat's documentary about the on-the-ground reality for the people inside the West Bank is a very disturbing portrait of life under military occupation. In fact, when Burnat got detained at the LA airport on his way to the Academy Awards, he noted that it is what the Palestinians go through on a daily basis. Indeed, the settlers and army do some absolutely evil things, such as burning an olive tree.

"5 Broken Cameras" (whose title refers to the different cameras that Burnat had to use after the army kept breaking them) is a documentary that everyone should see. It's a real look at what life is like for the Palestinians under Israeli occupation, a complete contrast to the nonstop depictions of Palestinians as terrorists.

5 Broken Cameras (2011) is a Palestinian documentary film directed by Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi. The movie is narrated by Emad Burnat, who films life and strife in his village in the occupied West Bank.

Living in an occupied territory will always be frustrating and, at times, humiliating. However, the major issue that the film follows is the building of huge Israeli "settlements" in the occupied territory. (The "settlements" look like large, fortress-like, apartment complexes.)

Although we have all seen footage of Palestinians throwing rocks, and Israeli soldiers responding with teargas and rubber bullets, Burnat films less dramatic instances of nonviolent resistance by Palestinian villagers. As a participant-observer, Burnat is himself vulnerable. He was seriously injured in one skirmish. The title "Five Broken Cameras" refers to Burnat's own cameras, which were smashed during confrontations with Israeli soldiers. (Some of the cameras were purposely destroyed, while others were hit by rubber bullets.)

Whatever your position is about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it's useful to see a film that presents the Palestinian perspective. We saw this movie at Rochester's Little Theatre as part of the excellent Witness Palestine Film Series. It will work better on a large screen, but it's worth seeing on DVD if that's the only option available. Five Broken Cameras was nominated for an Oscar in 2012 as Best Foreign Film.