5 Broken Cameras

Five years ago in the Palestinian town of Bil’in, Emad Burnat bought a camera to record the birth of his fourth son, Gibreel. Gibreel’s arrival, however, coincided with the Israeli expropriation of land, the advance of settlements, the erection of barriers separating new communities from existing ones, demonstrations by Bil’in residents, and a violent military and settler reaction to these protests that resulted in marchers being wounded and killed. All this is witnessed by five video cameras, each subsequently damaged by bullets or rocks, as well as by Gibreel, who sees his family and community threatened and harassed. The documentary, a collaboration between Burnat and Israeli filmmaker Guy Davidi, reflects the complex and often surprising relationships many Palestinians and Israelis share despite the difficult political situation that surrounds them. A Kino Lorber release.