Boston Palestine Film Festival 2009

A group of youth from Shu’fat refugee camp imagine their camp in the year 2161, when the Israeli Occupation and military check-points have ended and become a part of the past. Through the film, the youth reflect on their dreams of the future as well as their current life under the Occupation in the year 2009.

Full of daydreams and adventures, Lamees gets sent out on a simple errand by her mother. Walking through the Old City, she instead looks for her favorite storybook. Soon Lamees finds herself inside her fable, faced with the leopard in the story. Will her daydreams lead her to trouble?

Mohammad wastes his days in the streets of the Old City, smoking and playing games (like Shishbesh) with his friends. One day he meets Sereen on her way to school, professing his love to her but gets in trouble with her father. Upon encountering boys harassing his own sister on the street, he confronts them and questions his own behavior. Will Mohammad have the will to change?

Three girls from Shu’fat refugee camp discuss the traditional costumes and clothes in Jerusalem through visits and interviews with Palestinians in the Old City. Through the film the girls reflect on their personal experience about historical places and original Palestinian costumes in Jerusalem.

The story starts when a child loses a necklace while walking in the Old City. As another child decides to steal the necklace, the story revolves around how the thief is punished for the cursed necklace, in ways that lead to remorse and strange dreams.

Firas is the new kid at school walking through the winding streets of the Old City with his new friend Remeen. He soon runs into trouble with some local bullies at school. As rumors travel fast through whispers in the city, Firas quickly learns how ties can be broken and friendships are hard to keep.

Youth Visions of Jerusalem is a unique program of digital video, photography, and storytelling workshops conducted by Voices Beyond Walls. The program supports Palestinian youth in expressing their cultural identity, personal narratives, and creative visions of Jerusalem, the Arab Cultural Capital in 2009. The program was held over a 6-week period in June-July 2009 through trainings and workshops conducted with Palestinian volunteers and 25-30 youth (aged 10-16) in the Old City of Jerusalem and the Shufat refugee camp.