The returnees
A film by Christian Walther
Documentary film, 30 min, SRF, Sternstunde Religion
Written and directed: Christian Walther
camera: Tulik Galon
Sound / Music: Sami Darwish Al-Kurd
Edit, Grading: Christian Müller, Schnittplatz
Soundedit, Ausiomix: himex:sounddesign Peter von Siebenthal
Producer:: Pedro Haldemann
The place Iqrit you will not find at today’s maps. Until 1948, it was a flourishing Christian village in northern Galilee. Then came the Israeli War of Independence. The Palestinians call it Naqba (the catastrophe). Hundreds of thousands had to leave their villages and towns. Also Iqrit was one of those villages. Until today, the residents may not return and rebuild their village, although there are several court decisions that confirm them just that. They are allowed to worship and on high holidays hundreds are pilgrim to the small dilapidated church on the hill, the only building in the village not destroyed.
- Topic: The focus is on the village of Iqrit in northern Israel. It is one of hundreds of villages that were evacuated or destroyed during the Israeli War of Independence in 1948.
- Protagonists: The film depicts the efforts of former residents and their descendants to return to their home village.
- Production: The film was produced by Insertfilm AG in collaboration with SRF and was broadcast as part of the SRF programme ‘Sternstunde Religion’ (Religion’s Moment of Glory), among others.
