Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of No Other Land, has detailed the violent assault he endured in the West Bank last month, describing the experience as a brutal reminder of the persistent dangers facing his community. In an op-ed published in The New York Times, Ballal reflected on the attack, carried out by Israeli settlers, during which he was mocked for his recent Oscar victory.
On March 24, during Ramadan, Ballal rushed to document an attack after being alerted by a neighbor in his native village of Susiya. When the situation escalated, he returned home to protect his family. Moments later, he was confronted outside his home by settlers and soldiers he recognized. Ballal recounted being beaten, cursed, and derided as an “Oscar-winning filmmaker” while his wife and children screamed from inside their home. “I felt guns bashing my ribs. Someone punched me in the head from behind. I fell to the ground. I was kicked and spat on,” he wrote.
Ballal was then handcuffed, blindfolded, and thrown into an army jeep. He spent hours lying blindfolded on the ground at an army base before being released the next day. Reflecting on the ordeal, he said, “It was the worst moment of my life. My wife and I both thought I would be killed. We feared what would happen to my family if I died.”
The Academy Award-winning filmmaker expressed deep frustration at the disparity between the recognition his documentary received and the reality he returned to after the ceremony. “In an instant, it was as if the Oscars had never happened, as if the award didn’t mean anything,” Ballal wrote. “My life is still at the mercy of the settlers and the occupation. Our movie won an Oscar, but our lives are no better than before.”
No Other Land documents the destruction of homes and communities in the occupied West Bank’s Masafer Yatta region by Israeli forces. The film is a collaborative effort by a Palestinian-Israeli team, including Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, alongside directors Rachel Szor and Ballal. The film’s portrayal of the friendship between Adra and Abraham earned acclaim but faced difficulties with U.S. distribution and threats toward cinemas screening the work.
Yuval Abraham, one of Ballal’s co-directors, publicized Ballal’s capture immediately following the incident and criticized the Academy’s initial response, describing it as vague and inadequate. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences later issued an apology after significant backlash, during which more than 900 members demanded a stronger stance. Although the Academy’s final statement condemned the suppression of free speech, it initially did not name Ballal directly, prompting further calls for accountability.
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In their response to the Academy members who supported them, the No Other Land team wrote, “The letter you wrote in support of him has been deeply moving for us personally, and also important politically, especially as the attacks on the Masafer Yatta community continue every day.”
Israeli forces offered a different account of the events surrounding Ballal’s detention, claiming the incident escalated after Palestinians allegedly hurled rocks at Israeli vehicles, prompting settlers and Palestinians to throw rocks at each other. According to the IDF, when Israeli police arrived, several Palestinians began throwing rocks at security forces, leading to the detention of three individuals. Both sides confirmed that Ballal was among those detained.
Ballal used his platform to stress that violence in the region is not rare but occurs regularly. He cited an attack days after his own assault in nearby Jinba, where settlers injured five people and over 20 arrests were made following raids on homes, a mosque, and a school.
