From the 1960s to the 1980s, many radical left-wing movements across the globe aligned with the growing struggle for Palestinian self-determination, and these movements inspired filmmakers in Europe, Japan, and the SWANA region. Recently, a cache of 20 films made in this era were discovered in Tokyo and dubbed the "Tokyo Reels." R 21 is the 21st reel, and in it, filmmaker Mohannad Yacoubi and his team edit together various scenes from this incredibly diverse archive, which detail and engage with different aspects of the Palestinian liberation struggle. In addition to R 21's overview and detailed account of the restoration process, this film segment includes three of our favorite films from the Tokyo Reels collection.
In 1973, Shirak directed this short film in which the games of Palestinian children increasingly merge with warfare. Remnants of combat, such as bullets and tanks, are the toys of a group of young boys. When one of them finds a casing of a bombshell, their band disperses into a haunting game of hide and seek. This film was recovered as a part of a cache of archival films about various aspects of the Palestinian liberation movements that were found in Tokyo and therefore dubbed the “Tokyo Reels.”
- Year1973
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageNo dialogue
- CountryPalestine, Iraq, Japan
- DirectorShirak
From the 1960s to the 1980s, many radical left-wing movements across the globe aligned with the growing struggle for Palestinian self-determination, and these movements inspired filmmakers in Europe, Japan, and the SWANA region. Recently, a cache of 20 films made in this era were discovered in Tokyo and dubbed the "Tokyo Reels." R 21 is the 21st reel, and in it, filmmaker Mohannad Yacoubi and his team edit together various scenes from this incredibly diverse archive, which detail and engage with different aspects of the Palestinian liberation struggle. In addition to R 21's overview and detailed account of the restoration process, this film segment includes three of our favorite films from the Tokyo Reels collection.
In 1973, Shirak directed this short film in which the games of Palestinian children increasingly merge with warfare. Remnants of combat, such as bullets and tanks, are the toys of a group of young boys. When one of them finds a casing of a bombshell, their band disperses into a haunting game of hide and seek. This film was recovered as a part of a cache of archival films about various aspects of the Palestinian liberation movements that were found in Tokyo and therefore dubbed the “Tokyo Reels.”
- Year1973
- Runtime16 minutes
- LanguageNo dialogue
- CountryPalestine, Iraq, Japan
- DirectorShirak