On Feb. 21, NMSU’s Students for Justice in Palestine screened its first film at the Milton Hall theater. Viewers saw producer Monear Shaer’s “Gaza is Our Home,” the first he’s film ever made. He is a Palestinian American who aimed to share the joys of his family in Gaza as well as the dire conditions they face.
Shirts, art, and other merchandise made by Palestinian artists were sold for donations at the theater entrance leading up to the screening.
Shaer, unable to attend the event in-person, introduced himself to the audience through a Zoom call. Although he expressed his joy of seeing the turnout, Shaer also mentioned how he thinks the screening is truly important for those who did not show up. He and the audience exchanged questions and answers after the documentary ended.
SJP President Dylan Davis said she chose Shaer’s film for their first screening because it delves into the personal struggles he and his family have had to go through.
“We also really liked his film specifically because it was so personal, and it just directly showcased his time while he was there in Gaza with his own family,” Davis said.
Shaer shared what his career, livelihood, and family looked like prior to the conflict with the audience. He was a videographer for a real estate firm before making the film.
“I would send drones and record footage of homes that were newly built. My whole job was making people’s homes feel welcoming,” Shaer said.
In his director’s statement, Shaer wrote why he felt obligated to not only produce “Gaza is Our Home,” but to screen it at as many events and campuses as he could.
“As the crisis continues to unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that the responsibility to amplify these voices and stories extends far beyond the confines of this documentary,” Shaer wrote. “It is my fervent hope that this film will serve as catalyst for meaningful action. It is now a collective responsibility, shared by all who bear witness to the suffering of Gaza, to rally behind this project and ensure its message reaches the widest audience possible.”
Shaer expressed interest in organizing another screening at NMSU. He said he hopes to attend in-person instead and hinted at the possibility of a sequel or follow up on the film being shown.
One of the viewers, Jovanny Hernandez, shared why film as a medium of art is effective at gaining sympathy and solidarity for important movements like Palestinian advocacy.
“All art, especially film, is very unique in that it is from the perspective of the filmmaker themselves,” Hernandez said. “When we read words, we live inside of their minds, and when we see images, we live inside of their hearts. And in film, we see it through their eyes.”
Hernandez explained what made Shaer’s documentary an example of film being used effectively.
“A lot of the footage was handheld, and it puts you in a perspective where it is if you were the one sitting and watching everything happen,” Hernandez said. “That connection is the most important method to build empathy and humanity with all sorts of different people, and especially Palestinian stories, which are so powerful right now.”
