Inspired by Nino Orto’s book “Israele-Palestina. Voci di una terra contesa” (LoGisma), a powerful new short film explores the most radical journey of all: the quest for identity beyond the dogma of prejudice.
What happens when the need for freedom overcomes the barrier of fear? This central question drives an intimate and poignant short film that sheds light on the deeply human and complex dimension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drawing from the invaluable on-the-ground reporting of journalist Nino Orto.
At the heart of the narrative is Amal, a young Palestinian from Tulkarem. Raised in the shadow of a deeply entrenched and seemingly immutable reality, he experiences a profound existential crisis. Around him, the narratives surrounding the conflict are monolithic and two-dimensional; inside him, however, a storm rages. The core of the film lies in this agonizing internal dilemma: on one hand, the weight of loyalty to his land, his family, and his roots; on the other, a visceral, almost desperate yearning for self-determination..
A Journey Beyond Physical and Mental Borders
To discover who he truly is, Amal realizes he can no longer settle for pre-packaged truths. He must challenge everything he has been taught. Thus begins a bold and dangerous path that will push him to commit the most subversive act possible in a divided land: to look at the other side of the wall.
“Crossing the barrier is not just a physical act; it’s a leap into a psychological void. It means deconstructing the image of the ‘enemy’ to uncover their humanity, perhaps for the very first time.” said Roberta Colombo, director and producer of the short film with Next Video Trailer. Roberta Colombo also reflects on the innovative creative process behind the film, touching upon the intersection of technology and human emotion: “With Amal, I wanted to do exactly that: highlight the human side of the conflict and its universality through themes like personal freedom and choice, but also explore those walls that all of us, unconsciously, carry inside. Today, AI tools can generate entire scenes, but everything that happens before writing a prompt is a completely human process. Before a good story is translated into images, it must be thought, imagined, and lived. AI collaborates and executes, but if this short film moves people, it’s because the emotion comes from the creator. I’m reminded of the story of Pinocchio: he is born from a piece of wood, he is artificial, yet something makes him alive. That ‘something’ is Geppetto – everything human that is transferred into the creation. There is always a bit of Geppetto in everything we do, even when we use AI.”
The film breaks away from traditional narrative often used to depict the Middle East, offering a fresh, vital, and much-needed perspective. It steers clear of easy or comforting answers, choosing instead to capture -with raw realism- the vulnerability of a generation trapped in History yet hungry for a future.
“I believe there is a need to experiment with new forms of communication and explore new viewpoints regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is why the short film seeks to highlight perspectives that are little known or often ignored,” states author and writer Nino Orto. “Amal does not exist in a vacuum; he is a vital piece of a larger puzzle. Together with the book and the multimedia project ‘The Other Side of the Wall: From October 7th to Gaza’, the goal is to pierce the polarization and document the true complexity of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By using different mediums – from fiction writing and video/photographic installations to cinema- we aim to restore dignity to individual human stories that are too often erased by social media and algorithms.”
From essay to screen: voices of a contested land
This narrative urgency stems directly from the pages of Nino Orto’s book “Israel-Palestine. Voices from a Contested Land,” which offers a mosaic of stories that give a voice back to those living through daily fragmentation and conflict. It stands as essential reading to comprehend the human complexity that cutting-edge technology and Artificial Intelligence have now transformed into a universal cinematic tale about the search for self.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Title: AMAL
- Directed and Screenplay by: Roberta Colombo, Nino Orto
- Adapted from the book: “Israele-Palestina. Voci di una terra contesa” by Nino Orto (Published by LoGisma edizioni)
- Press Office & Media Relations: [email protected]
- Media Assets: Video and photographic materials are available upon request.
