anorak studio // Three films on transnational solidarity with Palestine

Palestine Vaincra

Directed by Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan
France, 1969, 28 min, 16mm to Digital

Palestine Vaincra (Palestine Will Win) is regarded as the first French documentary film made in support of the Palestinian liberation movement. Shot in 1969 in a student dorm, the film blends historical testimonies by Palestinian photographers, stock footage, maps, and music. The documentary centres on the 1968 Battle of Karameh, while also tracing the broader story of five decades of Palestinian resistance against oppression and colonialism.

Kufr Shuba

Directed by Samir Nimer
Lebanon, 1975, 35 min, 16mm to Digital

Produced by the Palestine Cinema Institute in Beirut, this film by Iraqi filmmaker Samir Nimer is titled after the small village of Kufr Shuba in South Lebanon. Following a battle that devastated the village, it became a site of solidarity between the Lebanese people and the Palestinian resistance. The film is a poetic testament to steadfastness, liberation struggles, and love for the land.

Palestine and Japan

Directed by T. Maki
Japan, 1979, 20 min, 16mm to Digital

This film bridges the distance between Japan and Palestine, foregrounding political links between the two countries. Made after the opening of the Palestine Liberation Organisation office in Tokyo, it highlights solidarity networks in Japan. Reflections on the prospects of children in both countries lead to statements on imperialism, mutual understanding, and the will to strengthen bonds.

Draye Wilson is an audiovisual archivist based in New York City. They currently work with Electronic Arts Intermix, Meredith Monk’s House Foundation for the Arts, and Third World Newsreel. Previously, Draye has collaborated with organisations such as Blank Forms, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theatre Research. Their practice centres on underground material, experimental cinema, and music.

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The anorak studio series invites artists based in or passing through Berlin to experiment and share ideas with peers and the wider public. It serves as a communal space for live events that push against creative and formal limitations such as genre, canon, authorship, expertise, coherence, and censorship.