The strength and beauty in this film lies in the fact that it is not overtly political. Of course, one can say that everything is political, but here the focus is on life.
The documentary tells the story of a policeman and his family living in Hebron's old town and although the political realities that impact him as a Palestinian man are made apparent in the film — his home was burnt by Israeli colonists and everything was destroyed, his son and daughter were both arrested by the IDF, he and his children are routinely harassed by colonists who are his neighbours — there is no hate, no real talk of politics. The events in the movie give the audience a sense of who this family is rather than diverting our attention from them as people to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The cameras follow the policeman through the course of his day at work, which occupies most of his time, and during his time spent with his family of nine children and his wife. The family lives a modest existence. His kids are rambunctious, joke with him and sometimes disobey him and his mother. They struggle, laugh and love — like all families.
It's an honest depiction of humanity and life in a place where people who are too often masked behind tragic headlines.
— Anna Abou Zeid, Copy Editor
The Invisible Policeman
The strength and beauty in this film lies in the fact that it is not overtly political. Of course, one can say that everything is political, but here the focus is on life.
The documentary tells the story of a policeman and his family living in Hebron's old town and although the political realities that impact him as a Palestinian man are made apparent in the film — his home was burnt by Israeli settlers and everything was destroyed, his son and daughter were both arrested by the IDF, he and his children are routinely harassed by settlers who are his neighbours — there is no hate, no real talk of politics. The events in the movie give the audience a sense of who this family is rather than diverting our attention from them as people to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The cameras follow the policeman through the course of his day at work, which occupies most of his time, and during his time spent with his family of nine children and his wife. The family lives a modest existence. His kids are rambunctious, joke with him and sometimes disobey him and his mother. They struggle, laugh and love — like all families.
It's an honest depiction of humanity and life in a place where people who are too often masked behind tragic headlines.
