Nominated for Best Documentary at the 85th Academy Awards®, 5 Broken Cameras is a film of humble origins. The project began in 2005 when Palestinian olive farmer Emad Burnat got a video camera to document the birth of his youngest son. Burnat soon turned the camera onto the streets of his family’s village of Bil’in in the West Bank, which was – and continues to be – threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements.
Over seven years, Burnat filmed the destruction of land, demonstrations, arrests, assaults, and killings that befell his village, all while continuing to document his young son’s life amidst the conflict. One by one, Burnat’s cameras were violently destroyed by Israeli settlers, but he persevered in his filmmaking, knowing the importance of documenting the impact on his community.
Eventually, Burnat met Israeli activist and filmmaker Guy Davidi, who would go on to co-direct and co-produce 5 Broken Cameras with him. The film received wide critical acclaim, winning the World Cinema Directing Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival before being nominated for the Oscar® and winning an International Emmy Award in 2013.
Nearly 15 years after its release, 5 Broken Cameras is unfortunately as relevant and impactful as ever, providing key background for the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It joins films like recent Oscar® winner No Other Land to form a diverse and multifaceted cinematic narrative about this complex conflict, and also holds an important place in the global tradition of artistic bravery under the threat of persecution and violence.
We’re proud that Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi’s 5 Broken Cameras is now available to stream on Kino Film Collection.
