By Sarah Harlan - Palestine Note

The premier episode of the 90-part series "Sleepless in Gaza... and Jerusalem" launched on YouTube Monday.  "Sleepless" is a video diary following the lives of four Palestinian women, both Muslim and Christian, living in Gaza and the West Bank/East Jerusalem. 

Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem (Photo: Carmelo Aquilina - Flickr)

The landmark series, produced by UAE-based Radiant Circle Productions and Ramallah-based PINA Productions, features broadcast journalist Ashira Ramadan, her friend documentary filmmaker Nagham Mohanna, Donna Maria Mattas, a 17-year old Holy Family School student who dreams of becoming a journalist, and Ala' Khayo Mkari, who works with Catholic humanitarian organization Caritas.  Ashira and Ala' hail from Jerusalem, and Donna and Nagham live in Gaza.  The series will follow their personal successes and setbacks as well as their reactions to living in two of the most emotionally and politically charged places in the world.

Executive producer Abdallah Schleifer and director Ramzi Khoury lead the project.  Schleifer, who founded Radiant Circle Productions, says he wanted to not only expand the West's often two-dimensional understanding of Palestinians but also connect a young Western audience with young Palestinians, "particularly young Palestinian women, both Muslim and Christian, living out their lives of both struggle and personal achievement, and enjoying the warmth of family and friends despite the difficult, oppressive circumstances of siege and occupation."  The vast majority of news regarding Palestinians focuses on violence, given or received.  "If it bleeds, it leads," quotes Schleifer.  His hope for "Sleepless" is that it move the audience's understanding of Palestine past the media's "tendency to reduce people [to] combatants and characitures."

Fishing off Gaza's coast (Photo: Laila El-Haddad)

Schleifer is Distinguished Professor of Journalism at the American University in Cairo (also honored Professor Emeritus) and Washington and national news bureau chief of Al Arabiya.  He also frequently serves as a political analyst for Al-Jazeera English and Saudi KSA2's "Bridges" and "Political Agenda."  Having lived and traveled all over the Middle East, Schleifer says he "never lost a deep concern for the fate of the Palestinians and, in particular, for the people and spiritual ambiance of Arab Jerusalem."

"Sleepless" director Ramzi Khoury emphasizes that this documentary is a new concept.  Rather than relying on story arcs and scene takes, "Sleepless in Gaza... and Jerusalem" features "real people doing their real business."  Khoury believes that the next three months of shooting will give audiences an authentic representation of Palestinian life in the occupied territories.

Outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem (Photo: Sarah Harlan)

In my conversation with Mr. Khoury, he discussed the casting process, challenges to filming under the occupation, and responses to the series (which has now released four episodes).  In casting, Khoury's team was originally only looking for two women, one in Jerusalem and one in Gaza, but they were able to find four who met their criteria.  Khoury says they were looking for women very active in their societies and who also possess a good command of the English language.  Ashira, Negham, and Ala' are all young professional women, and they chose Donna Maria, who was applying for an internship in Negham's office when they met her, to give a window into Palestinian youth.

Filming in Jerusalem and Gaza is no doubt challenging.  "In Jerusalem, a camera is always under suspicion and scrutiny," says Khoury.  There have been no major hiccups in filming yet, but they expect "the typical challenges... especially if we get closer to activities that challenge occupation."  The challenges faced so far include a three-day closure of Jerusalem for Purim that rendered the crew's filming permits obsolete.  The film crew was entering Jerusalem from the West Bank, but now they have crew members stationed inside Jerusalem to continue filming should another closure occur.  Of Gaza, he says: "The Strip is under siege, and living conditions are terrible.  The [cast] and crew suffer along with the remaining population."  They also have the Hamas government as an obstacle.  Hamas has been notoriously repressive toward journalists, and Khoury and his crew are sensitive to the challenges of filming in Gaza.

Responses to the "Sleepless" so far have been incredibly positive.  The only complaint has been that the series is filmed in English.  Khoury says future episodes will feature Arabic subtitles "to cater to those who don't understand English well."

Mr. Khoury says "Sleepless" has faced no backlash from the Israeli authorities so far, but he has no illusions that the next three months in Jerusalem will be smooth sailing.  He anticipates friction with the Israelis and is not deterred.  "We are waiting for it to come and feel it is a matter of time.  It all depends on whether Ashira or Ala' head in a direction that does not suit the Occupation.  We have faced this is our work before, and if and when it happens, it would be business as usual."

To follow "Sleepless in Gaza... and Jerusalem," see their Facebook page for updates on episode postings and filming news and their YouTube page to watch episode.  Episodes will generally air in the afternoon on the East Coast in the US, in the evening the UK, late at night in the Middle East, and airing later the further east one looks. 

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