Palestinian-Israeli film No Other Land made history at the Oscars on Sunday. Despite being a co-production, it's the first prize won by Palestine at the Oscars and depicts the struggles faced by journalist Basel Adra as he attempts to protect his West Bank village Masafer Yatta from Israeli settlers.
While a handful of Palestinian films have been nominated over the years, what is the relationship between the Academy Awards, one of the industry's biggest nights, and the Palestinian cause? And which films or talents from the occupied West Bank and Gaza have been recognised?
Here's a brief history of Palestine at the Oscars.
Vanessa Redgrave's acceptance speech, 1978
On April 3, 1978, English actress Vanessa Redgrave won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in the drama Julia. After paying tribute to the writer of the film, Lillian Hellman, she ended her speech with a message directed to the Palestinian people. “And I salute you, and I pay tribute to you, and I think you should be very proud that in the last few weeks you've stood firm, and you have refused to be intimidated by the threats of a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums,” she said. “I salute you and I thank you and I pledge to you that I will continue to fight against anti-Semitism and fascism.”
Redgrave’s presence at the awards had already garnered protests by Zionist groups outside the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on the day of the ceremony, but they were equalled by supporters of Palestine. The attention was brought on by a documentary titled The Palestinian, in which Redgrave interviews members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and its leader, Yasser Arafat.
Promises, 2002
Israeli-American filmmaker BZ Goldberg directed Promises, a documentary film in which he interviews Palestinian and Israeli children in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The film was nominated for Best Documentary in 2002. While being produced and directed by Americans and Israelis, the film examines the conflict and occupation from the point of view of seven Palestinian children.
The Oscar in the category that year went to Murder on a Sunday Morning, which centres on the Brenton Butler case, in which a 15-year-old black boy was wrongfully accused of murder in Jacksonville, Florida.
Divine Intervention, 2002
Elia Suleiman’s film Divine Intervention was nominated by Palestine to represent it in the Best Foreign Language Film (now called Best International Feature Film) category. The nomination was rejected by the Academy, who justified their decision by saying that Palestine was not internationally recognised as a country.
The decision was met with pushback, as many had pointed out that territories such as Hong Kong and Puerto Rico had been allowed to nominate films to the category in the past. The Academy changed the rules soon after and allowed Divine Intervention to be entered in the running the following year. Unfortunately, it did not make the final list of nominees.
Paradise Now, 2006
The first Palestinian film to be nominated for an Academy Award was Hany Abu-Assad’s Paradise Now. The film follows two childhood friends who are tasked with carrying out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
After its nomination, pro-Israel groups pressured the Academy into changing the film’s country designation from Palestine to Palestinian Authority, a decision protested by Abu-Assad. Eventually, the film’s country stated Palestinian Territories. The film lost the Oscar to Tsotsi, about a young street thug who steals a car with a baby in the back seat, from South Africa.
Ajami, 2010
Palestinian Scandar Copti and Israeli Yaron Shani directed Ajami, a film which represented Israel in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It follows five people who live in a part of Tel Aviv housing Muslim and Christian communities.
The duo became the first Palestinian-Israeli pair to have a film nominated. The trend continued in 2013 with 5 Broken Cameras and again this year with No Other Land. Ajami lost the Oscar to The Secret in Their Eyes from Argentina.
5 Broken Cameras, 2013
Palestinian Emad Burnat and Israeli Guy Davidi direct 5 Broken Cameras, a documentary that follows a Palestinian farmer as he attempts to chronicle the aggression he faces from the Israeli army.
The film was nominated for Best Documentary Film at the 2013 Academy Awards. The film lost the Oscar to Malik Bendjelloul’s documentary Searching for Sugar Man, which is about two South Africans looking to find what happened to the musician Sixto Rodriguez.
Omar, 2014
Hany Abu-Assad earned Palestine its second nomination in 2013 for the film Omar. The film follows a young man in the West Bank who regularly jumps over the dividing wall to see his girlfriend. During one of his jumps, he is captured by Israeli soldiers and gets tortured and humiliated by them. The act spurs him to get revenge.
Omar was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2015 Academy Awards, representing Palestine. The film lost the Oscar to The Great Beauty, which is about an ageing writer from Italy who recollects his youth.
Ave Maria, 2016
Directed by Basil Khalil, this independent comedy short set in Palestine tells the story of a group of Israeli settlers who unexpectedly depend on Palestinian nuns for rescue. Though it was a strong contender, it ultimately lost the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film to the Irish film Stutterer, about a man rendered mute by a crippling stutter.
The Present – 2021
The short film The Present marks the directorial debut of British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi. It follows Yousef, portrayed by Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, as he sets out to buy an anniversary gift for his wife. However, the journey becomes nearly impossible due to the hardships of life under Israeli occupation.
The film ultimately lost the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film to Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe's Two Distant Strangers, which examines the deaths of black Americans during encounters with police.
Artists4Ceasefire, 2024
At last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, many film professionals, including actors and directors, wore pins symbolising their support for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Artists4Ceasefire collective had earlier called on then-president Joe Biden to push for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of necessary humanitarian aid to those affected.
Artists who wore the collective's pin included American director Ava DuVernay, actor Mark Ruffalo, British actor and rapper Riz Ahmed, French actors Milo Machado-Graner and Swann Arlaud, American-Egyptian comedian Ramy Youssef and pop stars Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell.
The ceremony also witnessed a speech by British director Jonathan Glazer, whose film The Zone of Interest won two Oscars, Best International Feature and Best Sound.
“Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst – it’s shaped all of our past and present,” Glazer said in his controversial speech. “Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether it’s the victims of October 7 in Israel or of the ongoing attack on Gaza, all are victims of this dehumanisation.”
No Other Land, 2025
No Other Land's Best Documentary Feature marks Palestine’s first-ever Oscar win. The film follows Palestinian journalist Basel Adra as he fights to safeguard his West Bank village, Masafer Yatta, from Israeli settlers. Adra, who shares co-director role with Israel's Yuval Ibrahim, called it “a big honour”.
“About two months ago, I became a father. I hope my daughter will not have to live the same life I'm living now: always fearing settler violence, home demolitions and forced displacements that my community and myself are living and facing every day under the Israeli occupation,” Adra said on stage.
“This is the harsh reality that we have been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people.”
Despite already winning a handful of awards, the documentary has largely been shunned by studios and has been self-distributed by the film's production team in the US, despite finding distribution in 24 countries including the UK and France.
In his speech, Abraham added that the film was made by both Palestinian and Israelis “because together, our voices are stronger”.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
CREW
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
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Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
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Our legal advisor
Rasmi Ragy is a senior counsel at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Prosecutor in Egypt with more than 40 years experience across the GCC.
Education: Ain Shams University, Egypt, in 1978.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
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The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals
To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Teaching in coronavirus times
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
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Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
