A palestinian documentary maker is following in the tradition of his compatriots, including Yasser Arafat, Saeb Erakat and Edward Said.
The award-winning Palestinian documentary “Ford Transit” directed by Hani Abu As’ad, may not be a real documentary after all. The Israeli daily Haaretz revealed on Wednesday that the leading character in the film is in reality an actor, and not the husky young transit driver he was believed to be.
The film won the Freedom Spirit award in the documentary category at the international film festival in Jerusalem last month. It was also screened at other renowned documentary film festivals in Holland and Canada and won plaudits. The film relates the story of Rajay, a transit driver who drives Palestinians, describing the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian hardships through the driver’s eyes. One scene depicts an Israeli soldier beating Rajay, after the driver spoke back to him.
Haaretz reported that a chat with “Rajay” revealed he is not a driver at all. He is a part-time actor, and is currently working as a photographer for an Arab news agency.
One of the judges who granted As’ad the prize said the new information was very disturbing.
As’ad, on his part, seems to be unperturbed by the revelation. “I always said the film was 100% fiction and 100% documentary,” he told Haaretz.
Sounds like 100% propaganda to me.
