Ahead of the Oscars, No Other Land Already Won

After a year-long struggle to find a distributor or theater willing to facilitate screenings in the United States, No Other Land has defied the odds, selling out back-to-back showings at Greenwich Village’s Film Forum last week. The film’s directors, Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham, opted to self-distribute, ensuring that the documentary reached an American audience willing to engage with its raw, unfiltered portrayal of life in the West Bank. Soon, they will attend the Academy Awards, waiting to see if No Other Land will win the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature—a recognition that would cement its place in global cinematic history. 

The film has already enjoyed critical acclaim from mainstream media. The New York Times called it “audacious,” “devastating,” and “genuinely daring and bold.” The Wrap described it as “outstanding,” declaring it “not just one of the most vital films about the region, but one of the absolute best documentaries to come out of this or any year.” NPR’s film critic said it was “the most powerful nonfiction film [he]saw in 2024,” adding that “Basel and Yuval and the vital movie they’ve made give us reason to hope.”  

Filmed from 2019 to 2023, No Other Land captures the brutal reality in the West Bank—one that has only worsened in the months since filming concluded. The film follows co-director Basel Adra and his family and community in Massafer Yatta, a village in the West Bank under constant threat of demolition by the Israeli army and attacks from Israeli settlers. Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist and activist, comes to Massafer Yatta to document the abuse, struggling to get the story out to an Israeli audience. Basel and Yuval’s friendship and shared mission to protect Massafer Yatta weaves a touching, human narrative between clips of brazen violence and destruction. 

While the clear antagonists are those responsible for the devastation in Massafer Yatta – the Israeli military and settlers – Yuval’s presence in the film adds nuance to the narrative. An Israeli, Yuval is met with occasional skepticism by the Adra family, and thus, by the viewers. But, Yuval’s clear commitment to stand with the families of Massafer Yatta and challenge the actions of his government perfectly depicts the crucial and often blurred distinction between the Israeli people and their government.

The film’s impact was palpable in the theater. When the credits rolled, audible sobs filled the room. The weight of the film hung in the air, and the crowd remained seated until the last credit rolled and the lights came up. 

Reality post-filming:

The horror depicted on screen is merely a prelude to the escalating violence against Palestinians in the West Bank since October 7, 2023. In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel, Israeli settler violence skyrocketed, with settlers launching waves of attacks on Palestinian communities under the pretext of security concerns. The Israeli military, rather than curbing these attacks, frequently stood by or even aided the settlers. Between October 2023 and January 2025, the situation deteriorated even further, with mass displacements, intensified home demolitions, and the Israeli government accelerating the construction of settlements at an unprecedented rate. Global outcry from international organizations, the United Nations, world leaders, and citizen movements did little to stem the violence, and in many ways, while the world was focused on Gaza, the Israeli occupation tightened its grip on the West Bank.

Then, in January 2025, the already dire situation took a turn for the worse. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, his administration wasted no time in reversing what little accountability had existed for West Bank settlers. Trump rescinded Executive Order 14115, which placed sanctions on some of the most violent settlers. The message was clear: there is now no consequence for settler violence. Almost immediately, reports emerged of settlers, emboldened by this newfound impunity, expanding their attacks on Palestinian villages. Human Rights organizations working in the region, such as B’Tselem documented an increase in forced evictions, armed settler patrols, and government-backed efforts to dismantle Palestinian communities entirely.

What No Other Land documents is just the beginning. The film captures a catastrophe in motion, but the reality today is that the catastrophe is accelerating, unchecked.

No Other Land’s Impact 

Throughout No Other Land, Basel and Yuval discuss their goal of reaching a mainstream audience—to ensure their work reaches as many people as possible so that more people bear witness to what is happening. Whether or not they take home the Oscar, they have already far exceeded that goal. On Hollywood’s biggest night of the year, a film that the industry attempted to shut out and block from the American market will be named, featured, and discussed. It might even take home an award. 

That is the silver lining of No Other Land. The film does not just document the suffering of Palestinians under occupation—it ensures that the world cannot look away. Basel and Yuval’s success is not measured by awards, but by the growing number of people who now see, understand, and cannot forget.

Editors

Cameron Roberts, Managing Editor

Makenzie Rodrigues, Copy Editor

Maya Nir

Maya Nir (she/her) is a first year MA candidate in International Relations at NYU. She received her BA in Political and Social Thought at the University of Virginia, where she wrote her senior honors thesis on Transitional Justice in Tunisia after the Arab Spring. She also studied Arabic and French languages. Maya was previously the Media Relations Coordinator for Foreign Affairs Magazine and part of the Global Communications and Media Relations team at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. She is now an editorial assistant at Just Security. When not working, she enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee and sampling bakeries around Brooklyn.