Dancing Palestine

© Dancing Palestine (Lamees Almakkawy, 2024)

Dancing Palestine

Lamees Almakkawy’s films can be found at the intersection of documentary and fiction, with a particular focus on performance and identity. In her own words, she explores the medium’s potential to understand what normally remains unspoken.

Dancing Palestine is centered around the dabke, a Palestinian folk dance. As Palestinian identity threatens to be erased by violence, Palestinians turn to dance to affirm their existence. The dabke is not only a tribute to their history and culture but also a testimony to the deep love of life. The film, a performance in itself, is a poignant contribution to the contemporary view on  Palestine.

The film is part of Kortfilm.be Avond 2024, a “best of” from Kortfilmfestival Leuven.