Distributors Refused to Pick Up this Palestinian Film–this Year it Won Best Documentary at the Oscars

The documentary No Other Land made history this year, not only as a powerful cinematic achievement but as a significant step toward peace, justice, and global recognition of the Palestinian struggle. Co-directed by Palestinian journalist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, along with Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, the film presents a deeply personal and harrowing account of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. By securing the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2025 Oscars, No Other Land has elevated the Palestinian narrative onto one of the world’s largest stages, ensuring that the realities of occupation are no longer ignored.

However, despite its critical acclaim and widespread recognition, the film has faced notable obstacles in North America, where no major distributor has yet picked it up. This lack of distribution reflects the ongoing political sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in the United States, where pro-Israel narratives have historically dominated mainstream media. But rather than diminishing the film’s impact, these challenges have only fueled discussions about the urgent need for a broader and more honest dialogue on Palestinian rights.

No Other Land tells the story of Adra, a Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, a region in the occupied West Bank that has faced repeated demolitions and forced displacement by the Israeli military. The documentary follows Adra as he documents these injustices, capturing the destruction of his home and the suffering of his people. In an unprecedented act of collaboration, Adra works alongside Yuval Abraham, an Israeli journalist, forming an unlikely yet deeply meaningful friendship.

This partnership is central to the film’s impact. Rather than reinforcing narratives of division, No Other Land shows that Israelis and Palestinians can work together in pursuit of truth and justice. By highlighting Yuval Abraham’s willingness to confront the oppression carried out by his own government, the documentary provides a glimpse of what a future built on shared humanity, rather than hostility, might look like.

The film also dismantles the idea that peace can only come through silence and submission. Instead, it argues that true peace must be built on the recognition of Palestinian rights, an end to occupation, and accountability for ongoing human rights violations.

The Oscar win for No Other Land marks a turning point for Palestinian representation in global media. For decades, Palestinian voices have been marginalized, their stories often filtered through Western or Israeli perspectives. Even when the suffering of Palestinians is acknowledged, it is frequently framed in a way that downplays Israeli responsibility and ignores the power imbalance at the heart of the conflict.

This documentary, however, does something different. It allows Palestinians to tell their own story, in their own words, without interference or dilution. The recognition by the Academy Awards is not just a victory for the filmmakers but for Palestinian activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who have long struggled to have their voices heard.

The film’s success also follows a growing trend of increased global awareness about the realities of Israeli occupation. Protests, social media activism, and independent journalism have played a crucial role in breaking through the mainstream media’s reluctance to challenge Israeli policies. No Other Land adds another layer to this momentum, proving that Palestinian stories can no longer be ignored.

One of the most powerful aspects of No Other Land is its potential to shift public perception and, by extension, policy. Historically, one of the biggest obstacles to peace has been the unwillingness of many Western governments—particularly the U.S.—to pressure Israel to end its occupation. This is largely due to a political landscape where Palestinian advocacy is often equated with extremism, while Israeli policies are excused as “security measures.”

However, as more people are exposed to the reality of life under occupation, these narratives are becoming harder to maintain. By winning an Oscar, No Other Land forces a global audience to confront the truth. It humanizes Palestinians in a way that statistics and news reports often fail to do. It also demonstrates that there are Israelis, like Yuval who are willing to stand against their own government’s injustices—proof that peace is not an impossible dream.

For peace to be achieved, the world must first acknowledge the depth of the injustice Palestinians face. This documentary provides an essential step toward that goal by bringing the conversation to millions who might never have engaged with the issue otherwise.

Despite its accolades, No Other Land has yet to secure a major North American distributor. This is not surprising given the political sensitivities in the U.S., where media companies often avoid content that is openly critical of Israeli policies. The refusal to distribute the film on a wider scale is a form of censorship, preventing mainstream audiences from seeing the realities of occupation.

Yet, even in the face of this obstacle, the film’s impact cannot be erased. Independent theaters, activists, and grassroots movements are ensuring that the film reaches audiences who are hungry for the truth. Screenings in places like Houston’s River Oaks Theatre show that demand for these stories exists, even if traditional distributors hesitate to take the risk.

If anything, the difficulty in securing North American distribution only underscores why this film is so important. It highlights how Palestinian stories have been suppressed for decades and how institutions continue to prioritize political convenience over truth. The more people become aware of this suppression, the more they will push back against it.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most entrenched and painful conflicts in modern history. It is easy to feel hopeless, to believe that peace is unattainable. But No Other Land offers a glimmer of hope–not in the form of empty platitudes, but through real, tangible collaboration between those willing to stand for justice.

By winning an Oscar, this film has broken through barriers that once seemed insurmountable. It has forced a conversation that many would rather avoid. It has amplified Palestinian voices in a way that will be difficult to silence. Most importantly, it has demonstrated that despite the odds, truth still has the power to cut through propaganda, censorship, and political fear.

If the world is to move toward real peace, it must start by acknowledging reality. No Other Land is a crucial step in that direction. It is more than just a film—it is a testament to the power of storytelling, the resilience of the Palestinian people, and the possibility of a future where justice prevails.

Yuval Abraham put it best in his Oscars acceptance speech: “There is a different path, a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people. And, I have to say as I am here, the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path…” “Can’t you see that we are intertwined? My can people can be safe if Basel’s people can be truly free and safe–there is another way.”