A double-bill of films about food and politics.
For centuries, Palestinians have used za’atar (wild oregano) and ‘akkoub (a thistle-like plant) in their cooking. The plants grow wild and are traditionally foraged, but in Israel today both are deemed “protected species” by the government, and penalties for Palestinians caught picking include hefty fines and prison sentences.
Gracefully weaving together fiction, documentary and archive footage, Foragers follows the plants from the mountainside to the kitchen, taking in chases between foragers and the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, courtroom defences, and a delicious-looking lunch.
Screening beforehand, Soup Over Bethlehem depicts an ordinary Palestinian family at dinner where a culinary discussion about the national dish ‘mloukhieh’ soon evolves into a political one.
After the films, Jumana Manna and other guests discuss food sovereignty in Palestine under occupation.
Presented in partnership with Barbican’s Eat the Screen season and Zaytoun CIC.
DETAILS
Soup Over Bethlehem, Larissa Sansour
Palestine | 2006| 9 mins | Arabic
Foragers [Al-Yad al-Kadra]