American Cinematographer - April 2012 - 80

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Sundance Standouts
destroyed in an auto accident that severely injured him, necessitating medical treatment in Tel Aviv. By the time Burnat acquires his fifth camera, a Panasonic AGHVX200, Israel is attacking the Gaza Strip and politicians are pouring into Bil’in. During one protest, a gas canister hits Burnat’s close friend Phil, one of the village’s most active protesters, and Phil collapses and dies on camera. Burnat’s wife begs him to stop filming, and soon Israeli soldiers destroy his fifth camera while dishing out a beating. His next camera, a JVC HD camcorder, survived the rest of the shoot. Phil’s death shook Burnat deeply, and that’s when he decided to create a film — he wanted to pay tribute to his friend. He reached out to Davidi, who was initially skeptical. Numerous films had already been made about Bil’in, and he didn’t like the focus on Phil. “I don’t like the idealization of death,” he explains. He proposed a personal documentary instead. “When I looked at what Emad passed through [over] the years, I thought his story was very strong, and [that] he should share everything that happened. What I didn’t know was whether the footage would allow it.” Davidi began looking through Burnat’s footage, which totaled about 500 hours. In the first session, he spotted an old, anguished man climbing atop an army jeep in the village, and asked Burnat who it was. “Emad said, ‘That’s my father. He’s blocking the jeep from taking my brother to jail.’” Davidi had his answer. “I felt that if everything that’s happened in Bil’in could be connected to Emad personally, the result would be strong.” Personal documentary was not Burnat’s inclination, however. He felt such an approach seemed too selfabsorbed, and Davidi understood why. “At this point everybody has worked for years to create a Palestinian state,” says Davidi, “and everything that’s not aimed

Co-director and cinematographer Emad Burnat.

have the camera, so I’m isolating myself. I don’t want to isolate myself more with the clothes of a journalist.” Undeterred by his close call, Burnat purchased another camera, a Panasonic NV-GS140. This was

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American Cinematographer - April 2012

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