film detail

Synopsis:

Occupied is the story of young Palestinians debating the choices made and the path walked – while decoding a future that is equal parts promising and uncertain. Occupied. Something different from any other documentary/film in a similar category. It’s not just a story of occupation and suffering. It’s the story of the strongest souls in the world, resisting that force, through the power of art, music, dance and culture. Over 5 episodes, our story captures their spirit like no other – one that comes from a belief that their perspective of positivity, unity, love and creativity is not despite the occupation, but because of it. It’s a spirit of living for today and not tomorrow. 
Our story focuses on two young brothers Ala & Baha from Beith Sahour near Bethlehem, Ala is an Artist who uses recycled material for art. And helps tribal Palestinian women stay self-sustainable, in a world where the Israelis cut off the supply of food, water and electricity. Baha is a political tour guide who shows people the real side of Palestine – the difficulties and the difference in how the world perceives it to be. He takes us through the harsh realities of illegal settlements and heinous crimes in the worst of the settlement regions of Hebron.
These two Palestinian brothers have chosen the path of creativity over conflict to respond to the world around them. The featured individuals and their shared experiences speak to a collective re-imagining of what resistance can look like in the face of aggression. Resistance has taken the shape of music serenading patrons at the local watering hole, art that adorns the walls lining pavements and poetry gushing forth from the lips of brave women and men who know no other language.
It is their celebration of life, love and hope, set against the backdrop of persecution and marginalization, with a singular belief at its core – in the end, love always wins.

Pranav Pingle, Director, Producer and Founder of Mirage Media hails from Hyderabad. Armed with a Masters in Film & Television from Bristol University, UK. Having won more than 22 Awards around the world, worked on more than 45 TVCs and 30 Docu films around the globe and produced 2 web series one in Collaboration with Rana Daggubati called “Mayabazaar for Sale". The main aim is to create meaningful content around the world. “Our work has and will always tackle developmental, human rights and socio-political issues with the deftness and sensitivity they deserve and we hope to bring more of such stories forward to the world,” says Pranav Pingle. My team and I travelled through the West Bank extensively documenting the horrifying reality of military occupation, social and political control, and pathological bullying. Through the eyes of those I now call friends, we documented the people's uprising through their respective arts. We are also the first group of filmmakers from South Asia who've made a documentary on the occupation of Palestine. We've also been very lucky to be a part of a few Film Festivals across the globe - North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival, IDFA Docs for Sale, Athens International Film Festival and Bushwick Film Festival to name a few. Occupied is not just a story of the occupation and suffering. It’s the story of the strongest souls in the world, resisting that force, through the power of art, music, dance and culture. Our story captures their spirit like no other – one that comes from a belief that their perspective of positivity, unity, love and creativity is not despite the occupation, but because of it. It’s a spirit of living for today and not tomorrow.