Othman Akel Survivor of Deir Yassin (1948 Palestine) Preview

Othman Akel Preview From 1948 Movie Creation & Catastrophe. is the story of the establishment of Israel as seen through the eyes of the people who lived it. Rather than being a history lesson, this documentary is a primer for the present. It is simply not possible to make sense of what is happening in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today without an understanding of 1948. Yet despite the critical importance of 1948, most of the people interviewed for this documentary have never been able to tell their story in full until now. For nearly seven decades, they have been living with the legacy of that fateful year. Many of the veterans, refugees and witnesses we interviewed have already passed away. This truly is the last chance to hear this story directly from those who lived it. The documentary promises to reveal this story—and more important—to provide a way of understanding the underlying dynamics of the seemingly incomprehensible conflict that continues to capture headlines to this day. This film was the last chance for many of its Israeli and Palestinian characters to narrate their first-hand accounts of the creation of a state and the expulsion of a nation. The hopes, fears and grievances that drove the war in 1948 are still central to the conflict today. By dispelling the myths about 1948 and providing an understanding of the events of this foundational moment, this documentary will make it possible for Americans to make sense of present conflict in the region. And once we understand the conflict, it becomes possible to search fora solution.