During the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, filmmakers and industry leaders discussed the impact of populist movements on documentary creators. Orwa Nyrabia, IDFA's artistic director, emphasized their role as adversaries, citing incidents in Germany and a recent controversy surrounding the film "No Other Land."
The film was wrongly accused of anti-Semitism but later endorsed by Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle. At IDFA, "No Other Land" is praised for promoting healing and refuting anti-Semitism claims. Israeli producer Osnat Trabelsi faced accusations of disseminating "Nazi propaganda" with her film "The 1957 Transcripts," highlighting challenges in criticizing Israel.
"The 1957 Transcripts" details the killing of 49 individuals from the Palestinian village of Kafr Qasim by Israeli Border Police soldiers in October 1956. It includes survivor accounts, historical perspectives, and a reenactment of the soldiers' military trial based on recently disclosed transcripts. Trabelsi criticized the Israeli government for claiming to be the only democracy in the Middle East while acting like an authoritarian regime, highlighting challenges in producing critical films about the government. According to Variety the producer also discussed censorship in Israeli news and challenges faced by Israeli filmmakers addressing the Palestinian cause.
Brazilian director Petra Costa shared similar concerns about funding during the Bolsonaro presidency in Brazil and uncertainty about returning due to Brazil's political situation. Salomé Jashi, head of the Documentary Association of Georgia, said Georgian directors reject public funding for documentaries due to government discrimination, signifying solidarity and politicization of filmmaking. Filmmakers emphasized the importance of creating and ensuring viewership of documentaries and the need for greater grassroots activism to combat populism and prevent fascism.