This Thursday, 02 November, marks exactly 100 years since the issuing of the fateful Balfour Declaration on Palestine – 100 years since Britain signed over a country that it did not own, thereby sowing the seeds for the mass dispossession of the Palestinian people, and the ongoing Nakba in the Holy Land.
It is essential for anyone genuinely seeking justice in Palestine to understand the context of the Balfour Declaration and its long-term implications for peace.
The Palestine Information Network (PIN) has partnered with the Palestine Return Centre (PRC) and Balfour Apology Campaign of the United Kingdom in bringing to South African audiences 100 Balfour Road, a specially produced short film (running time 11 minutes) that seeks to educate the general public on the Balfour declaration and what it meant for the Palestinian people in simple, close-to-home terms.
The film itself is a metaphor, shown through the parallel modern-day example of the Joneses, an ordinary family living in suburban London who are booted out of their home by soldiers and forced to live in appalling conditions in their backyard. Another family, the Smiths, take over the house and, with the support of soldiers, mistreat and abuse the Joneses, depriving them of food, medicine and their basic human rights. The comparison is clear: a Palestinian family being displaced as a result of the 1917 Balfour Declaration.
As one reviewer has written, 100 Balfour Road packs a small but strong punch, educating and entertaining through its clever plotline and effective cinematography – not to mention the heart-wrenching acting.
The Palestine Information Network (PIN) invites all interested solidarity and community groups who would be interested in screening this short film to their respective areas during this period of the centenary, to get in touch with us. Partnering organisations will be provided with copies/links to the film.
For any potential screening, we would only require:
1- Inform us about the events’ dates, time and organisers, once confirmed.
2- A copy of the poster/advertisement materials in advance (if available).
3- Inclusion of the PIN and PRC logos/names on advertisement material.
4- Pictures of the screenings on time.
For further details, or to request a screening, kindly email us on info@palestineinfo.org
You are also invited to view and share our ongoing series of educational posts, infographics, quotes and videos on the Balfour Declaration via PIN social media platforms: facebook.com/learnpalestine and twitter.com/learnpalestine
