The Heart of Jenin

On Thursday the Jerusalem film festival 2008 started and I have carefully looked through all the 200-something films that I won't be able to see, since I am going home already on Tuesday. However, there was on film that I am very happy I went to see yesterday: The Heart of Jenin.

Two and a half year ago, a 12 year old Palestinian boy, Ahmed Khatib, from Jenin was shot by an Israeli soldier when he was out playing with a toy gun. When he was found he was still alive and was rushed to a hospital in Israel, where he was declared dead. His parents then, after talking with a nurse at the hospital, decided to donate his organ. There were six recipients of his organs, all living inside Israel.

The story made the news when it happened and I have heard about it several times, from different sources. An Israeli documentary filmer contacted the family immediately and the film was shown for the first time in public yesterday, at the Cinemateque here in Jerusalem.

The documentary follows the family of Ahmed Khatib, mainly the father Ismael, as well as three of the children who received his organs, and their families. One of the recipients, the youngest, died during surgery and the other two decided to be anonymous. The father has kept in touch with all of them and in the film visits them inside Israel.

I really recommend everyone to see this film. I cried (which I always do) a lot, and I think it was very very beautiful and well made. At the screening yesterday, Ismael Khatib and two of the children were at the Cinemateque and they got a five minute standing ovation when they got up together with the producer and the director and others on stage. Thinking about all the hatred, suspicision and mistrust down here, this place needs more movies like this one.