First of all congratulations on your fictional feature-length directorial debut! The corruption of innocence and the powerlessness of parental figures under violent occupation have been central to the films you’ve made, and The Teacher (2024) further builds on this. I wanted to ask why you think this has been such a central theme in your work, and whether you think film has its own responsibility to raise awareness of social injustice?
Thank you. For me, the theme of corruption of innocence and the powerlessness of parental figures under violent occupation and colonisation is a deeply personal one. In short, I am a mother of five children and I am Palestinian by heritage. No doubt that influences who I am as a person and the films I want to make. During my many trips to Palestine, I have witnessed firsthand the way that Israeli occupation erodes a person’s sense of dignity and humanity, and the way that it can tear families apart.
The corruption of innocence is a particularly poignant theme for me because it sheds light on the reality that occupation steals childhoods and destroys the innocence of young people. Children who should be playing, learning, aspiring and growing up in a safe and nurturing environment are instead forced to navigate the complexities and dangers of military occupation and apartheid. And today in Gaza, even genocide! It’s a theme that is quite powerful to portray in film because it speaks to our shared humanity and our collective desire to protect and care for our children.
As to whether I think film has a responsibility to raise awareness of social injustice…the answer is “yes, absolutely”. Film has the power to shape our perceptions, challenge our assumptions and misperceptions, and inspire us to action. It’s an artform that can be used to amplify marginalised voices, challenge dominant and false narratives, and inspire empathy and understanding. So I do believe that film has the power to inspire change and to challenge social injustice. And by sharing Palestinian stories through cinema, I hope to contribute to a more nuanced and informed conversation about the Palestinian lived experience, and to inspire audiences to take action and advocate for justice and equality and of course an end to the current ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Ireland and Palestine have a long history of a shared struggle against unbalanced power and occupation. Your work has highlighted the specific tactics of settler intimidation in Palestine, like checkpoints as a method of control in THE PRESENT (2020), and now the destruction of indigenous olive trees in The Teacher. What impact do you think highlighting these ostensibly non-violent tactics through film helps to achieve?
I think it’s quite meaningful to acknowledge the history of struggle which Ireland and Palestine share. The reality is that occupation is a system of oppression that is rooted in a deep-seated disregard for the lives and well-being of the people living under it. By highlighting the specific tactics used by occupiers to control and subjugate the Palestinian population, I hope to show audiences the ways in which occupation operates on a daily basis and encourage them to think critically about that reality.
Take the destruction of indigenous olive trees, for example. This is a deliberate attempt to erase Palestinian identity and culture. The olive tree is a symbol of Palestinian heritage and a source of livelihood for many families; so by destroying these trees, the occupiers are not only causing economic hardship but also erasing a core part of Palestinian history and culture. It’s economic, environmental and cultural terrorism essentially.
Similarly, the checkpoints in my previous short film, THE PRESENT, for example, are a tool of control and intimidation. They humiliate and degrade Palestinians, making it impossible for them to move freely in their own lands. By highlighting these tactics through film, I hope to humanise the Palestinian experience and to show audiences the ways in which occupation operates on a daily basis.
That all said, as a filmmaker I am most interested in examining the human dynamics, emotions, choices and decisions of those suffering such oppression.
The illegal occupation of much of Palestine has often been framed as an ambiguous issue, but in your interviews I think you’re been brilliant at conveying the specific horror of occupation in a clear and irrefutable way. In light of the increased visibility this past year of unjust violence against Palestinians in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, have you felt any change to how your work has been received?
Although I wrote the film nearly four years ago, and we shot it two years ago; and it had its world premiere a year ago at Toronto International Film Festival – the occupation, colonisation and apartheid have been happening for decades. However, with the ongoing genocide that Israel has been carrying out this past year, I think the entire film is poised to evoke a heightened emotional response from viewers, and it certainly feels like there’s an even higher sense of urgency and importance that’s attached to the film now.
It’s heartbreaking that the film’s themes of occupation, displacement and resistance have become even more relevant in recent months, but I hope that it can play a part in raising awareness and inspiring action. The film is not just a reaction to current events, but a thoughtful and intentional exploration of the human cost of occupation and apartheid. I
believe that it offers a deeper understanding of the Palestinian experience than what mainstream media is offering us – one that is rooted in empathy and humanity – and I hope that it can contribute to a more nuanced and informed conversation and action about this urgent reality that most Western governments remain complicit in.
What message do you hope to leave The Teacher’s audience with?
My intention with The Teacher was always to take audiences on an intense, emotional journey into the lives and experiences of the characters, and hope I leave them contemplating the choices and decisions the characters make and the cruel reality in which they are forced to make them.
I want to leave audiences with a sense of empathy and understanding for the Palestinian experience, and a deeper appreciation for the humanity and dignity of the Palestinian people. I hope that the film inspires audiences to think critically about the occupation and to challenge their assumptions about the “conflict”.
Despite the horror and tragedy of the occupation, the film is a story about the power of human connection and the importance of holding onto hope, even in the darkest of times. So I also hope that the film leaves audiences with a sense of hope and resilience.
Ultimately – and most importantly – I hope that audiences will be inspired to take action, to educate themselves about the occupation, and to use their voices to advocate for justice and equality. And I hope that The Teacher continues to be a part of a larger conversation about the importance of human rights, dignity, and freedom.
The Teacher is currently showing in Dublin at The Lighthouse Cinema. More locations and information about the film can be found at its official website, www.theteacher.film
