5 Essential Shows and Podcasts Sharing Authentic Palestinian Perspectives
We’ve been educating ourselves, reading, listening, watching and paying close attention to the stories shared by Palestinians.
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“Some are filmmakers, others are podcasters and artists - all real people on the ground and abroad, who are working tirelessly to make the rest of the world hear their truth."
If there is one thing we hate at The Spill, it’s fake news and propaganda. For the past few months, we’ve been educating ourselves about Palestine, reading, listening, watching and paying close attention to the stories and views generously shared by Palestinians. Some are filmmakers, others are podcasters and artists - all real people on the ground and abroad, who are working tirelessly to make the rest of the world hear their truth. Here are 5 essential shows, films and podcasts about and by Palestinians, sharing their authentic perspectives and history.
The Palestine pod
Hosted by a Palestinian-American lawyer Lara Elborno and Jewish American comedian Michael Schirtzer, The Palestine Pod is a mix of news, commentary and comedy - however inevitably leaning more towards the former. Every week, it breaks down the latest Palestine-related news with guest interviews ranging from presidential candidates to Palestinian refugees. Listen to The Palestine Pod here.
The Cultural Intifada
On The Cultural Intifada, you can learn about Palestine through audio content, all gathered on one extremely useful digital platform. Podcasts, short stories and interviews are told through audio from some of the world's best writers, groups and cultural organisations. The resource does not include audio books, however, it features (among many others) the Learning Palestine radio programme and Another Day - Messages From Gaza, a podcast by Hossam Madhoun, created by Az Theatre and Theatre For Everybody. Listen to The Cultural Intifada here.
The Crossing
In The Crossing, written and directed by award-winning Palestinian filmmaker Ameen Nayfeh (“200 Meters”), three Palestinian siblings eagerly attempt to visit their bedridden grandfather who resides on the other side of the separation wall. With a cast including Motaz Malhees, Yara Elham Jarrar and Nicholas Jarad, The Crossing is a drama-filled, independent film from 2017 that is still a very much-needed watch in 2024. Watch The Crossing here.
The Present
In The Present, a brilliant, beautiful and heartbreaking short film by British-Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi, Yusuf and his daughter set out to buy his wife an anniversary gift, a gesture demanding much patience and negotiation skills in the West Bank. Featuring Saleh Bakri, Maryam Kanj and Maryam Kamiel Basha, this social drama offers a small break from the news cycle, yet opens the door wide onto the realities of Palestinians’ lives. Watch The Present here.
Rethinking Palestine
Rethinking Palestine is a podcast by Al Shabaka, the Palestine policy network made of Palestinian thinkers, activists and researchers from within Palestine and its diaspora. Every month, host Yara Hawari engages with a range of Palestinian analysts to discuss recent developments and long-standing questions facing Palestinians worldwide - from the Arab world’s reaction to the Palestinian genocide to the Irish solidarity. Listen to Rethinking Palestine here.
