Palestine Film Festival Review: Open Heart

“Open Heart” documents the journey 9-month-old baby Jamal and his family endures so he can receive open heart surgery in East Jerusalem

The perilous journey from the Palestinian village of Beit Mreen, located in the Occupied West Bank to East Jerusalem requires they travel with an intensive care unit nurse. The nurse spends hours negotiating with Israeli soldiers at checkpoints to allow Jamal and his mother to reach Al Makassad Hospital.

The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund made the surgery possible. They brought the English surgeon to the hospital where the organization is creating infrastructure for a congenital heart program for Palestinian children. “Without the organization I don’t know what we would have done,” Jamal’s mother adds.

At the Beit Iba checkpoint, hundreds of people are gathered at the entrance. People are on their way to work, including doctors, nurses and medical staff. PCRF’s Steve Sosebee explains that many Palestinian doctors have left their jobs at the hospital because the commute between Israeli checkpoints, the constant harassment by the Israeli Army, the permits Palestinians need to pass the checkpoints and the wall is making it impossible for them to meet medical commitments to their patients.

At the Atarot checkpoint the nurse emphasizes how imperative it is they reach the hospital for surgery preparation because the surgeon is leaving on a plane in a few days. In response, the soldiers shoo away the camera that records their indifference to the dire situation. They make it clear they do not want their conversations filmed for the public to see.

“I’m telling you she cannot pas,” the Israeli soldier says about Jamal’s mother.

A yellow sign at the Atarot Checkpoint reads:

“Welcome to “Atarot” Check Point
-You are now entering a military area. To make your transit easy and to avoid unnecessary delay first read these instructions and then obey them
-Do not enter carrying articles made of metal or objects declared forbidden by the authority.
-Prepare your documents or inspection.
-Your documents must be presented at each inspection point.
-Coats must be removed.
-Persons refusing to follow inspector’s or signposted instructions will not be permitted to complete their transit.
-We wish you a safe and pleasant transit.
May you go in peace and return in peace!”

In the middle of Jamal’s heart surgery, there is a blackout. Absolute darkness. Power cuts are frequent in East Jerusalem.

The surgeon says: “I can finish this if somebody’s got a torch.”

Find out more about Jamal and the thousands of children like him at the 6th Annual Chicago Palestine Film Festival and the PCRF. Film schedule information is at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

Directed by: Claire Fowler
Country: Great Britain/USA/Palestine
Year: 2006
Duration: 22 minutes
In Arabic and English with English subtitles

-U.S. journalist and film critic Sonia Nettnin writes about social, political, economic, and cultural issues. Her focus is the Middle East.

© Scoop Media