Three Promises

At the turn of the millennium, as the Israeli army retaliates against the Second Intifada in the West Bank, Suha, a Palestinian mother, films her family’s daily life. Time spent sheltering in the basement at night and her two young children’s fear of the shelling are recurring elements. The scenes also have something commonplace about them, apparent in the family members who are not used to the ever-present camera, as well as the fact that the children still head off to school each morning.

In 2017, Suha’s son Yousef, the director of this documentary, discovered the videos. Together with his mother, he explores why she chose to film her family’s life in wartime. And why she waited to flee the country—several times Suha broke a promise she made to God that she would leave.

This clever debut film underlines the value of documenting the present: the filmmaker constructs new stories with old footage. It’s a story of a mother with her camera, a boy and his childhood, and at the same time, the history of the Palestinian people.