Arna’s Children

When I sat down to watch this documentary on the Sundance Channel tonight, I wasn't sure what to expect. There was no fancy editing, no compelling soundtrack, and some of it was probably shot on a VHS camera. But the images speak for themselves.

Arna Mer was a Jewish-born political activist who founded a theater group for Palestinian children. Her documentary, Arna’s Children, created after her death by her son Juliano Mer Kahmis, takes place in Jenin and begins as the children are getting ready to put on a play. Here, through the art of acting, they are able to express their anger and frustrations about the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts and the severe damage it has had on their young lives. Their homes have been blown up, relatives killed and they walk the streets only to be harassed and beaten by Israeli soldiers. Arna has provided them with an outlet and a reason to be happy in their completely fucked up world. At certain points it is hard to follow because of the jump in time. It spans about 12 years but goes back and forth between present and past. This I feel allows us to grow attached to the kids. Because we first meet them as young boys and eventually see them as men. We see how their perspectives change. We see that dreams fade with childhood and eventually some sort of twisted reality kicks in.

I am in no position to talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I must admit, I am quite ignorant went it comes to world politics period. But I know what I saw in this documentary and what I’ve seen on the news. The fact that these people don’t leave home without their M16 assault rifle in hand just doesn’t seem quite right to me. I could not imagine walking out of my door only to see a mass of rubble throughout my neighborhood, as a result of a string of homemade bombs. And tanks coming down my street like I would expect a taxicab or ice cream truck to do! Sadly, this is all these kids have ever known. More often than not they are raised to hate. Even joining a theater group will not help them to escape forever. They will inevitably grow up and become a product of their environment.


At the end of the film one of the boys grew up to become a religious martyr and he was quoted as saying “I’m dead anyway. If I have to die I want to choose which way I go.” How do you respond to something like that? Can anyone tell him otherwise? Can anyone truly instill hope in him?

It is documentaries like this that make me happy that I chose this profession as my own. To create work that inform and incite others on a topic they had no clue about before is a huge step forward. Media (written, visual or otherwise) is an amazing platform. And if used well it can truly make a world of difference. I just hope that I can one day make an impact like that.

If you want to learn more visit www.arna.info