The remarkable journey of Naila Ayesh and a fierce community of women at the frontlines, whose stories weave through the most vibrant, unarmed mobilization in Palestinian history—the First Intifada in the late 1980s.

About the filmmaker:

Julia is a Peabody award-winning filmmaker, media strategist, and the Creative Director at Just Vision. Julia started her filmmaking career in Cairo, where she wrote and edited the documentary Control Room (Sundance 2004), which became one of the highest-grossing political documentaries of all time. She subsequently moved to Jerusalem where she co-directed her first film, Encounter Point (Tribeca 2006). Julia then directed and produced Budrus (Berlinale 2009), which The New York Times called "this year's must-see documentary." Other directing credits include My Neighbourhood (Tribeca 2012), which won a Peabody Award, and Naila and the Uprising (IDFA 2017), which upended dominant narratives about the First Intifada and was broadcast on PBS’ Women, War and Peace series. Most recently, Julia directed and produced the critically acclaimed Boycott (SXSW 2021), which examined issues of free speech through the stories of three diverse Americans challenging anti-boycott laws. In addition to over 30 film festival awards, Julia is the recipient of the Ridenhour Film Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Chicken & Egg Award. Originally from Brazil, Julia is a Documentary Branch Member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.