September 30, 2024

Hayat Laban: Chronicling Jerusalem’s hidden stories through film

by

What are the most formidable challenges inherent to the profession of filmmaking?

Financing, and also distribution. and prevented from filming in some areas on palestine I live in Jerusalem and my family was displaced since 1967 from the Moroccan neighborhood in the Old City to another neighborhood and I am still prevented from visiting the place to film my documentary.

Could you elaborate on the wellspring of your creative inspiration for this particular short film?

I always have a motive to make documentaries and archives related to the city of Jerusalem. I started searching for people who documented the events of the city. I actually met the character of the film, who is a photojournalist who documented all the events in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Hide and Seek | Poster
Karolina Belka

Could you elucidate on the central thematic underpinning of your film?

The documentary talks about the memory of photojournalist “Mahfouz Abu Turk” and the archive through which he documented the events he experienced in the city of Jerusalem and the West Bank from the first intifada in 1987 and the events that followed until the end of the nineties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do you navigate the task of strategizing cost-effective promotional efforts when operating within a constrained budget?

When the budget is limited, I try to focus on the main goals that I really want to shoot for the film within the available capabilities. What made this easier was that I am still a university student, so half of the filming equipment was borrowed.

In today's dynamic marketplace, how pivotal do you consider the role of film distribution?

because distribution is the only way for a film to see the light through festivals, and the role of distribution comes in where and when the film is shown and published to receive viewing and a good opportunity for showing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For individuals contemplating the path of self-distribution, what counsel or insights can you offer?

I started distributing to search for festivals that are interested kind my film. There is no relationship between the important festival and how much I pay it, write a list of festivals and their dates so that I do not lose an important festival where only the first primire screening .

In your estimation, what level of significance do short films hold for aspiring filmmakers seeking to embark on a career in directing?

because short films teach many skills and make him strengthen his creative skills and benefit from mistakes and problems before producing a feature film .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflecting on your professional journey thus far, could you share an instance of the most formidable challenge you encountered and how you surmounted it?

I live in Jerusalem and study in the West Bank, and the number of students from Jerusalem is small, so when I need to shooting my film in my city, I don’t find many students to help me because of their inability to cross into Jerusalem (due to the occupation’s policy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What, in your view, are the critical factors that contribute to the creation of a cinematic masterpiece?

Reading and watching, because reading (poetry, theatre, short stories, history) and watching (films) are what feed the director’s imagination visually and intellectually, and without them he cannot be creative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you could revisit the inception of your career, are there any aspects or decisions you would choose to alter in hindsight?

Yes, I would have been to the filming locations to learn more. Unfortunately, my experiences were few due to wrong ideas.

KAAFFILM is an international network of distribution, production, and promotion of short films. #Kaaffilm

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *