THE SHEPHERD'S KEEPER
Hadara Oren / Israel / 2024 / 70 min / Colour
Italian premiere
Since ancient times, Palestinian Bedouins have lived in the Jordan Valley. Over the stony desert terrain, they lead their goats to graze on the sparse, dry grass. But today the valley is under Israeli military and civil control, and the Bedouins are evacuated, relocated, and deported. Armed soldiers and hooded Jewish settlers drive them out of the so-called “firing zone,” while a small group of resolute activists defends them against violent threats. Armed only with phones, they rush to wherever clashes erupt, filming everything at great personal risk. Young soldiers—barely more than kids with guns—call their superiors in confusion, unsure of how to proceed. The activists believe peaceful coexistence is possible, but the situation seems increasingly hopeless, with irreconcilable positions: the shepherds' staffs on one side, the soldiers' rifles on the other. The documentary, produced without support from Israeli public funds, follows citizens whose vision sharply contrasts with that of those in power.
Hadara Oren
An Israeli director, editor, screenwriter, and producer, born in 1961, residing in Raanana near Tel Aviv. Her notable works include Alice (2012) and August Snow(1993). Her feature The Shepherd's Keeper received a special mention at Docaviv 2024, the Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival.
