Palestine through Film

David Osit, MAYOR (2020, 89 min., Arabic and English, with English subtitles)

How do you run a city when you don’t have a country? This question drives David Osit’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning documentary, MAYOR. The film follows Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Palestine’s de facto administrative capital, Ramallah, during his second term in office. As Israeli occupation disrupts everyday life in the city, and makes even the most mundane municipal tasks difficult, Hadid works diligently towards his goals: to repave sidewalks, bolster tourism, plan the annual lighting of the town square Christmas tree, and forge a better future for Ramallah. Praised for its sharp wit, dark humor, and clear-eyed look at the West Bank experience, MAYOR offers a portrait of dignity amidst the absurdity and madness of endless occupation.

Palestine through Film chronicles key moments in Palestinian history—from the Nakba of 1948 to the present occupation. These weekly screenings of documentaries, historical dramas, and shorts open a window onto the mosaic of life in Palestine.