Three Nights In Haifa

As a Palestinian filmmaker who grew up in the diaspora, the homeland of "Palestine" has always been central to shaping my identity as a Middle Eastern woman and as a globally concerned citizen.

As I started my journey as a filmmaker, I recognised the importance of understanding my own heritage which was primarily shaped by the narratives passed down to me by my forebearers and those I absorbed through the media.

When I travelled to Palestine, I found the reality of what I encountered to be very different from the concepts that I had internalised. This created a dissonance between my existing knowledge and perceptions of Palestine with what I encountered once there. It was clear to me that coming to grips with Palestine and life there required delving into the experiences of others who were expelled.

My journey to the Burj Al-Barajneh refugee camp in Lebanon revealed to me the harsh reality of the Palestinian cause. When I saw the Haifa hospital, it struck me how the ancient coastal city of Haifa had been turned into a substandard hospital. Encountering the young Palestinian trainee nurse, Raid, exposed me to the different faces of the collective suffering of its people. This catalystic experience served as the inspiration for creating ‘3 Nights in Haifa’.

Raid - the central character in my documentary film - and myself, as the filmmaker, are parallel storytellers, both navigating the complexities of the Palestinian situation while each grappling with our own experiences.