An epic dive into the archives of Swedish public-service television, chronicling 30 years of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, beginning with the Jewish state celebrating its first ten years.
What follows is a series of on-location reports on the growing hostility between Jews and Arabs, but also on their cultural traditions and interviews with leading figures over the years, as well as studio debates that sadly illustrate how the arguments stay the same 60 years later. One is struck by how little things change in this region because of a conflict that remains to this date impossible to solve.
As the film progresses, the nonstop wars and terrorist acts become taxing; the material is likely best served by a miniseries treatment.
2024-Sweden-Denmark-Finland. 200 min. B/W-Color. Written and directed by Göran Hugo Olsson. Narrated by Pernilla August.
Trivia: Original title: Israel Palestina på svensk tv 1958-1989. Later shown as an extended TV series.