Arab Nasser on 'Once Upon a Time in Gaza': Resilience Beyond Destruction

Reframing Gaza Through Film

• 💡 The film "Once Upon a Time in Gaza" by Arab and Taza Nasser aims to showcase Gaza's resilience, humor, and absurdity rather than focusing solely on destruction.
• 🎯 The title intentionally evokes cinematic history, suggesting a narrative that goes beyond current events to explore the human experience in Gaza.
• 🚀 The directors sought to present a real picture of Gazan people and their capacity for life, contrasting with typical media reportage.

Political Opening and Cinematic Vision

• ⚠️ The film opens with Donald Trump's voice discussing the "Gaza Riviera" followed by images of destruction, immediately confronting the audience with politics, power, and spectacle.
• 🗣️ This opening was chosen to highlight the absurdity of political discourse amidst ongoing suffering and perceived indifference to the Palestinian situation.
• 🎞️ The initial concept for the film, conceived in 2015, was to create a cinematic narrative akin to a Western, focusing on the human element within Gaza.

Resilience and Cultural Preservation

• 🌱 Despite the writing being completed just before October 7th, the film's themes of resilience and survival remain acutely relevant.
• 🏛️ The importance of preserving Gaza's civilization and memory is emphasized, especially in light of cultural sites being damaged and narratives being contested.
• 🎨 Initiatives like exhibitions of ancient treasures are seen as crucial forms of resistance through culture and art, standing in solidarity with Gaza.

The Meaning of Resistance and Hope

• 💬 The film's closing words, "One day it will end," are interpreted as a statement of enduring hope and the necessity of resistance.
• ✊ This belief fuels the ongoing struggle for the right to life and self-determination.
• 🌟 The film highlights that even amidst extreme hardship, Gazans actively search for and cherish life.

Film Industry's Response and Personal Loss

• 💔 The tragic death of journalist Fatma Husana, featured in another film, underscored the film industry's delayed and often insufficient reaction to the situation in Gaza.
• 📢 The filmmakers note that while some prominent figures have spoken out, many other lives, including those of journalists and artists, remain unacknowledged casualties.
• ✊ The act of creating and sharing these films is framed as a form of resistance rooted in a deeply held cause.