{{short description|Palestinian filmmaker (born 1989)}} {{protection padlock|small=yes}} {{Infobox person | name = Hamdan Ballal | native_name = {{lang|ar|حمدان بلال}} | image = Hamdan Ballal 2021.jpeg | caption = Ballal in 2021 | birth_name = Hamdan Ballal Al-Huraini | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1989}} | birth_place = Susya, Hebron Governorate, Palestine | occupation = Filmmaker | employer = | organization = B'Tselem }}
'''Hamdan Ballal Al-Huraini''' ({{langx|ar|حمدان بلال الهريني|Ḥamdān Ballāl al-Huraynī}}; born 1989) is a Palestinian filmmaker, photographer, agriculturalist, and human rights activist from Susya in the South Hebron Hills of the occupied West Bank. He gained international recognition as co-director of the Academy Award-winning documentary ''No Other Land'' (2024), which chronicles Israeli settler violence and displacement campaigns against Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta between 2019 and 2023.
Ballal's activism includes documenting occupation-related human rights abuses as a volunteer field researcher for B'Tselem and co-founding the "Humans of Masafer Yatta" storytelling project. In March 2025, he was assaulted by Israeli settlers at his home in Susya and subsequently detained by the Israel Defense Forces, an incident that drew global attention amid escalating tensions following the film's Oscar win.
==Early life and family== Ballal was born in 1989 in Susya, a Palestinian village in the South Hebron Hills of the West Bank.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pro.festivalscope.com/director/hamdan-ballal|title=Hamdan Ballal, Palestine|work=Festival Scope Pro|accessdate=24 March 2025}}</ref><ref name="afibio">{{Cite web|url=https://fest.afi.com/2024/documentary-2024/no-other-land/#66f5c7fcd9868|title=No Other Land|work=AFI Fest - American Film Institute|access-date=24 March 2025}}</ref> He is married and has one son.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoepfner |first=Fran |date=2025-03-24 |title=No Other Land Director Hamdan Ballal Injured and Missing Following Attack |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/no-other-land-hamdan-ballal-attack.html |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref><ref name="GuardianAttack2">{{cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |date=25 March 2025 |title='Like a punishment': witnesses describe Israeli settler attack on No Other Land director |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/25/hamdan-ballal-witnesses-describe-israeli-settler-attack-no-other-land-director |access-date=25 March 2025 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
== Career == Ballal has worked as a farmer, photographer, activist, and researcher.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamdan Ballal |url=https://www.menafilmfestival.com/contributors/hamdan-ballal |accessdate=24 March 2025 |work=MENA Film Festival}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author1=Max Saltman |author2=Kareem Khadder |author3=Hira Humayun |date=2025-03-24 |title=Oscar-winning Palestinian director of 'No Other Land' assaulted by Israeli settlers in the West Bank |url=https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/24/middleeast/ballal-oscar-palestinian-beaten-israeli-settlers-intl-latam/index.html |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> In addition to filmmaking, he is a member of the "Humans of Masafer Yatta" initiative, which highlights personal stories from the region. He also volunteers as a field researcher for human rights organizations, including B'Tselem, documenting incidents related to the Israeli occupation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hamdan Ballal Al-Huraini Archives |url=https://www.972mag.com/writer/hamdan-ballal-al-huraini/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=+972 Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
Ballal co-directed the 2024 documentary film ''No Other Land'' alongside Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor. The film examines Israeli settlement expansion and violence in the West Bank, earning critical acclaim. It won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, as well as the Panorama Audience Award and the Berlinale Documentary Award at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.<ref name="APattack3">{{cite news |last=Frankel |first=Julia |title=Oscar-winning Palestinian director is attacked by Israeli settlers and detained, activists say |url=https://apnews.com/article/no-other-land-oscar-israel-palestinians-084c63f33e748a3279646759e9b705c2 |publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> ''No Other Land'' is Ballal's first film, produced over five years in collaboration with his co-directors.<ref name="afibio" />
== Post-Oscars assault and detention ==
{{Tweet | name = Yuval Abraham יובל אברהם | username = yuval_abraham | replyto = | lang = | text = A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co director of our film no other land. They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called, and took him. No sign of him since. | translation = | date = 24 March 2025 | ID = 1904235552620339365 | archive-url = | archive-date = | url-status = | image = | block = | left = | width = 300px | style = }}
On 24 March 2025, Ballal was assaulted by Israeli settlers who attacked his home in Susya.<ref name="GuardianAttack5">{{cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |date=24 March 2025 |title=Oscar-winning Palestinian director attacked by Israeli settlers and arrested |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/24/oscar-winning-palestinian-director-attacked-by-israeli-settlers-and-arrested |work=The Guardian |location=Jerusalem}}</ref> According to reports, 10–20 masked settlers, armed with sticks, stones, and in some cases firearms and knives, targeted Ballal and activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Minton |first1=Matt |last2=Stephan |first2=Katcy |date=2025-03-24 |title='No Other Land' Co-Director Hamdan Ballal Beaten and Attacked, Says Yuval Abraham: 'No Sign of Him Since' |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/no-other-land-hamdan-ballal-attacked-missing-yuval-abraham-1236346751/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> The assailants, accompanied by unidentified IDF soldiers, entered Susya and proceeded directly to Ballal's residence, vandalizing property, smashing windows, and slashing vehicle tires.<ref name="GuardianAttack2" /><ref name="APattack3"/><ref name="GuardianAttack5"/> The IDF soldiers assisted the settlers in assaulting Ballal, striking him in the head with the butts of their rifles and threatening to kill him.<ref name=GuardianAttack6>{{cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |date=25 March 2025 |title='It was revenge for our movie': Oscar winner says soldiers helped settlers attack him in West Bank |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/26/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-director-hamdan-ballal-recounts-attack-by-settlers-in-west-bank |work=The Guardian |location=Jerusalem}}</ref> Witnesses stated that although Israeli police arrived at the scene, they did not intervene.<ref name="GuardianAttack2" />
The attack occurred as villagers were breaking their daily Ramadan fast.<ref name="GuardianAttack2" /> Ballal sustained head injuries and was receiving treatment in an ambulance when IDF soldiers forcibly removed, blindfolded, and detained him at a military base.<ref name="APattack3"/><ref name="GuardianAttack5"/> Israeli authorities confirmed his detention but did not announce any immediate charges.<ref name="GuardianAttack2" /> In an official statement regarding the arrest, the IDF alleged that "terrorists began hurling rocks at the security forces," which led to the detention of "three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at them along with one Israeli" who participated in "mutual rock-hurling between Palestinians and Israelis".<ref name="GuardianAttack5"/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=David |last2=Atta |first2=Nasser |date=26 March 2025 |title=Oscar-winning Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal freed by Israel, friend says |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/oscar-winning-palestinian-director-hamdan-ballal-freed-israel/story?id=120124746 |access-date=26 March 2025 |work=ABC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=25 March 2025 |title=Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal detained by Israeli military after being beaten up, say activists |url=https://news.sky.com/story/oscar-winning-palestinian-filmmaker-hamdan-ballal-detained-by-israeli-military-after-being-beaten-up-say-activists-13335246 |access-date=26 March 2025 |work=Sky News}}</ref>
After the attack, Ballal's co-director Yuval Abraham posted on X that there had been "no sign" of Ballal since the incident.<ref name="GuardianAttack3" /> On 25 March 2025, after spending a night detained at an IDF base—where, according to his lawyer, he received minimal medical care—Ballal was released by Israeli police.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Usher |first1=Sebastian |last2=Macintosh |first2=Thomas |date=25 March 2025 |title=Palestinian Oscar winner released after attack by Israeli settlers, co-director says |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0eg04d152zo |access-date=25 March 2025 |work=BBC}}</ref> He stated that Israeli soldiers had beaten him again during his detention at the base.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tondo |first1=Lorenzo|date=26 March 2025 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/26/i-thought-i-was-going-to-die-director-hamdan-ballal-recounts-attack-by-settlers-in-west-bank |title='It was revenge for our movie': Oscar winner says soldiers helped settlers attack him in West Bank |access-date=27 March 2025 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
Residents of Susya reported an escalation in settler violence following the film's Oscar win, suggesting retaliation for its success.<ref name="GuardianAttack5"/> After his release, Ballal recounted: "I heard the voices of the soldiers, they were laughing about me … I heard 'Oscar' but I didn't speak Hebrew."<ref name="GuardianAttack3">{{cite news |last=Tondo |first=Lorenzo |date=25 March 2025 |title=Hamdan Ballal: Oscar-winning Palestinian director released from Israeli detention |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/25/oscar-winning-palestinian-director-hamdan-ballal-released-from-israeli-detention |work=The Guardian |location=Jerusalem}}</ref>
Following his detention, the European Film Academy called for Ballal's release, while the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—having recently awarded Ballal an Oscar—remained silent despite calls from its members.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiseman |first=Andreas |date=2025-03-26 |title='No Other Land' Director Says "US Academy Declined To Publicly Support Hamdan Ballal" Following Attack And Detainment |url=https://deadline.com/2025/03/no-other-land-director-us-academy-support-hamdan-ballal-1236350863/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> On 27 March 2025, the Academy issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to artistic freedom, declaring, "We condemn the harming or suppression of artists for their work or their viewpoints," though it did not mention Ballal by name.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-27 |title=Oscars Academy breaks silence following Israeli attack on Palestinian co-director |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/25043085.academy-breaks-silence-israeli-attack-oscar-winner/ |access-date=2025-03-27 |website=The National |language=en}}</ref> The following day, over 500 Academy members signed an open letter criticizing the organization for failing to publicly support Ballal after his arrest.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Clayton |title=Mark Ruffalo, Penélope Cruz, Alfonso Cuaron and More Than 500 Oscar Voters Criticize Academy for Not Supporting Hamdan Ballal: 'It Is Indefensible' |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/awards/academy-members-hamdan-ballal-statement-mark-ruffalo-1236351147/ |access-date=28 March 2025 |website=Variety}}</ref> On 29 March 2025, the Academy apologized for not acknowledging Ballal or his film by name and to all artists who felt unsupported by its previous statement. It also condemned "violence of this kind anywhere in the world," adding, "We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-29 |title=Academy apologises for statement on No Other Land director attack |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj5jn04gd2o |access-date=2025-03-29 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Awards == {| class="wikitable" !Year !Work !Award !Category !Result !Notes !{{Ref heading}} |- | rowspan="3" |2024 | rowspan="5" |''No Other Land'' |International Documentary Association |Best Director |{{Won}} | rowspan="5" |Shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham. |<ref>{{Cite web |title=IDA Documentary Awards 2024 Winners and Nominees |url=https://documentary.org/awards2024/nominees |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=International Documentary Association |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |74th Berlin International Film Festival |Panorama Audience Award |{{Won}} |<ref name="imdb">{{Cite web |title=Hamdan Ballal — Awards |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm15732720/awards/?ref_=nm_awd |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=IMDB |language=en}}</ref> |- |Berlinale Documentary Award |{{Won}} |<ref name="imdb" /> |- | rowspan="2" |2025 |97th Academy Awards |Best Documentary Feature |{{Won}} |<ref name="imdb" /> |- |78th British Academy Film Awards |Best Documentary |{{Won}} |<ref name="imdb" /> |}
== See also == * Israeli settler violence * Israeli–Palestinian conflict
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|id=nm15732720}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ballal, hamdan}} Category:Living people Category:1989 births Category:21st-century farmers Category:21st-century Palestinian journalists Category:21st-century Palestinian photographers Category:Palestinian film directors Category:Palestinian human rights activists Category:People from Hebron Governorate Category:Israeli settler violence Category:Directors of Best Documentary Feature Academy Award winners Category:Prisoners and detainees of Israel Category:Palestinian prisoners and detainees Category:Directors of Best Documentary European Film Award winners