Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israël (2004)

Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israël (2004) follows a unique journey undertaken by filmmakers Michel Khleifi and Eyal Sivan, a Palestinian and an Israeli, respectively. In the summer of 2002, they embarked on a trip from the southern to the northern parts of their shared homeland, tracing a path they named Route 181. This route mirrors the boundaries proposed by UN Resolution 181, which aimed to divide Palestine into two states. Throughout their travels, Khleifi and Sivan document the lives of various individuals they encounter—Israeli and Palestinian, young and old, civilians and soldiers—capturing their daily experiences and perspectives. Each person they meet offers a unique view on the barriers that separate them from their neighbors, whether those barriers are physical, like concrete walls and barbed wire, or psychological, such as cynicism, humor, indifference, suspicion, or aggression. The film delves into how these boundaries have not only shaped the landscape but also the minds and collective unconscious of both societies. Through their journey, Khleifi and Sivan provide a disorienting yet insightful exploration of this small but deeply complex territory.