Review of “Palestine 36” at Cinestudio

Valentina Munoz ’28

Contributing Writer

Cinestudio continues its spotlighting of Palestinian filmmakers with Annemarie Jacir’s historical drama “Palestine 36” (فلسطين ٣٦). This screening not only highlights an important cinematic work but more so invites audiences to engage with a deeply significant historical moment. 

Set in Palestine in 1936, a group of villagers revolt against increasing British colonial rule and escalating unrest in light of Israeli settlement. The film situates viewers in a time of mounting tension and uncertainty, where everyday life is increasingly shaped by political upheaval.

Palestine 36 includes performances from Robert Aramayo (Captain Wingate), Jeremy Irons (Arthur Wauchope), Liam Cunningham (Charles Tegart), Yasmine Al Massir (Khuloud Atef), Karim Daoud Anaya (Yusuf Bassawi) and more. 

The film follows its protagonist, Yusuf, as he navigates between his home in a Palestinian village and his job as a journalist in Jerusalem; he’s at first an indecisive and seemingly apolitical character, observing events more than he participates in them and maintaining a cautious distance from the escalating tensions around him. 

In the beginning of the film, in between action shots we’re shown scenes of a wholly beautiful and undestroyed Palestine in its quotidian state; these in-between shots become increasingly frightening as the film progresses, with picturesque shots being replaced by scenes of British military searching and patting down Palestinian civilians and growing unrest; “tied hands” on behalf of the British in response to Israeli occupation turns into blatant violence towards the Palestinian people. 

A shift in political and personal atmosphere within the village takes place when the British introduce a new land implementation system. At first seemingly harmless, the villagers realize that it is a gradual system of Palestinian displacement and subsequent Israeli replacement; a gradual replacement of Palestinian people, culture and traditions. In this respect, the film emphasizes the slow erosion of identity and belonging, portraying displacement as both physical and cultural. One man says about the villagers’ land: “That is the work of thousands of years; it is the work of our great grandparents. But more than that, it is the relationship between us and our land. Is it the right of the English as occupying power to distribute the land as they like?” 

The two children in the movie, Afra and Kareem, provide a sense of hope for the future; Afra’s grandmother tells her: “You have something more powerful than the entire British empire…you will know on your own.” By the film’s end, Kareem and Afra are entirely on their own, yet the audience is left with the promise of natality; there is hope that the development of history can change course with each new generation that takes action in shaping it. Amid loss, there is still a sense of possibility. 

“Palestine 36” does a phenomenal job at shedding light on oftentimes underrepresented parts of history, especially for American audiences who aren’t usually taught this aspect of Western colonialism. In doing so, the film invites audiences to reflect on both history and its resonance today. More broadly, the film underscores the critical role that both cinema and education play in shaping public understanding of history. The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East since the events unfolding on Oct. 7, 2023 and increasing public recognition of this as a genocide does not always provide ample historical context of the role British colonialism played in the beginning of Palestinian displacement. By adapting these events through personal narratives and lived experiences, the film provides an accessible entry point into a complex and contested past. In this sense, screenings like this serve as informal educational spaces, encouraging dialogue, critical thinking and a more expansive engagement with world history and the roles different individuals play in its development.