Review of Five Broken Cameras (2011) by Laura C — 16 Sep 2013

Through the lens of narrator/farmer/father Emad Burnat, 5 Broken Cameras documents the occupation of Gaza by Israeli contractors/military starting in 2005. Upon the birth of his youngest son, Emad decides to document the struggle his farming village has endured against Isreal, and unsurprisingly, he and his cameras suffer many injuries from being caught amidst the chaos.

Each camera represents a multitude of tragedies, but Emad also makes a point to include not only the shocking, but also the minute human moments that he shares between his brothers and family. This is a great introduction (and a powerful condemnation of Isreal for their unrelenting bullying of the Palestinian people) for those outside the conflict who've never understood just what the stakes are between the two countries, and also for political activists looking for smart and insightful methods of non-violent protest against a seemingly unstoppable force.

5/5 While there are many images I would never want any young children exposed to, this still remains an excellent teaching tool for middle and high schoolers - a powerful indictment of military occupations wherever they occur.

Highly recommended.