Bios

Mansour Mansour a Palestinian from Biddo, is a member of Northwest Jerusalem Popular Committee and the Biddo Popular Committee. He is also Executive Director of Biddo Community Development, a not for profit organization aimed at enhancing the lives of children and adults through education and employment. With the organization he conducts weekly workshops with youth and adults promoting the experience of non-violence as a means to resisting occupation. He was also Campaign Coordinator and non-violent trainer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) since 2004. Among his responsibilities of coordinating an ISM presence in regions throughout the occupied Palestinian Territories he is also responsible for administering the training for international members.

Shai Carmeli Pollak is a prominent director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. His movie, "Bil'in Habibti" won the Wolgin Award for Full-length Documentary Film at the Jerusalem International Film Festival 2006 and honorable Mention - ‘Movies That Matter Award’ at Rotterdam Film Festival 2007. Since the movie was made Bil’in has also won a court victory, where High Court in Israel ruled that the wall should be moved so that farmers have access to their farm land. Shay can talk about his experience as an Israeli in solidarity with Palestinians in many villages and struggles across the West Bank.

"Bil'in Habibti" (2006) produced by Claudius Films is about the village of Bil'in that is about to lose over a half of its territory to the Security Barrier and to the Jewish settlement of Modi'in Elite. The residents of the village decide to embark on a struggle against the construction of the barrier and are joined by international and Israeli activists. The director, Shay Carmeli Pollak accompanies the village's struggle for over a year, focusing on two central figures: Mohamed, a member of the village's local committee against the barrier, and Wagee, farmer and father of ten, who is losing the majority of his land to the barrier and to the settlement.

The film exposes the extraordinary relationship formed between the villagers and a group of Israeli activists, on the backdrop of their struggle. The conflict that arises between Shai and the soldiers serving in the area is not only between a director and the subjects that he is documenting, but also the conflict between a former soldier, turned peace activist, and the entire military organization.

The film explores a struggle for non-violent resistance and exposes the military's use of undercover infiltrators (mustaravim) in order to "justify"‌ the use of brutal force against villagers and activists alike.

It is 86 minutes and the abridged version is 56 minutes in Arabic, English, and Hebrew with English Subtitles.

Director's statement on the movie

"I did not come to Bil’in as a filmmaker, but as an activist, to take part in the protest against the land theft caused by the separation barrier.

For a year and a half, I used my camera to document the moments of despair and hope, danger and courage and the birth of true partnership between Palestinians and Israelis. During this period the village has become a symbol of the joint struggle against the barrier and the occupation.