Dancing Palestine

To dance is to remember and insist on existence. As Palestinian identity faces erasure, dabke becomes an homage to history and culture. The film documents choreography as collective memory, where assembling steps mirrors assembling identity. Film and dance together affirm a love of life, contributing to an archive that keeps Palestine present and alive.

Lamees Almakkawy: ‘When we talk about Palestine, it tends to be post-Nakba (the “Catastrophe”, in which at least 700,000 Palestinians were driven out of Palestine in 1948, when the State of Israel was established) or in the context of its coloniser. Palestine and Palestinians have become a symbol, rather than a country and a people. We forget that Palestine has a rich culture and history. It is for these reasons that this film tells a story of Palestine through its folk dance, the dabke. Though the dabke is a key component of Palestinian political identity, it is also a reminder that Palestinians exist. Ultimately, this film is a love letter to Palestinians, their resilience, and their insistence on living life.’