Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948

58 minutes, documentary, 1997

Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948 is a groundbreaking documentary film that comprehensively examines the events that resulted in the creation of over 700,000 Palestinian refugees and the destruction of approximately 400 Palestinian villages at the end of the first Israeli-Arab war in 1948. Featuring historian Benny Morris and drawing on his book “The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem, 1947-1949,” this film is conducted in both Hebrew and Arabic with English voice-over. It is widely regarded as the first film to seriously tackle these historic events.

 

Production: A Benny Brunner and ARTE co-production

Screened: Israel, USA, Europe

Broadcast: Europe

Festivals: 1998 SF JFF; 1999 Köln Film Festival; 2001 One World International Film Festival, Prague; 2004, Vienna Jewish Film Week

Al Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe 1948

Benny Brunner and historian Benny Morris during production

Benny Brunner in the abandoned Palestinian village of Lifta during production