ABOUT THE FILM:

To dance is to remember, to dance is to remind. As the Palestinian identity continues to be threatened with erasure, Palestinians turn to their folk dance, the dabke, as an homage to their history and culture, and to assert their existence. Dancing Palestine is a documentation of this embodiment of collective memory, as those who piece together a dabke choreography, piece together their identities, too. Together with the film – a performance in itself – the dabke is a testament to Palestinians’ deep love of life, and thus their need to contribute to the archive of Palestine, so that it continues to live on in the present.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:

Lamees Almakkawy obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and New Media from New York University Abu Dhabi, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Documentary by Practice from University College London. Her interests lie in the intersection of documentary and fiction filmmaking, with a particular focus on identity, performance, collective and individual memory, and coming-of-age stories. She uses film as an outlet to understand what is normally unspoken – exploring the medium’s potential to unpack questions within and outside of herself. She is currently working as a digital media producer in London.