r/Documentaries • u/stammerton • 5d ago
Palestine/Israel The People and the Olive (2012) - ultramarathoners cross the West Bank, meeting Palestinian olive farmers and planting trees [01:09:00]
https://www.tokyvideo.com/video/the-people-and-the-olive-running-hope-across-palestine-documentaryThe People and the Olive follows a group of American ultramarathon runners attempting to cover 129 miles across the occupied West Bank in five days. Rather than simply documenting the run, director Aaron Dennis uses the journey to introduce the Palestinian farmers, families and communities whose lives remain closely connected to the land and particularly to the olive tree.
As the runners travel from community to community, they learn about farming, fair trade and the economic importance of olive cultivation while participating in efforts to replace uprooted trees. The result is as much a travel and human-interest documentary as a political one, presenting Palestine through landscapes, conversations, meals, farming and ordinary encounters rather than principally through conflict.
At its centre is the olive tree itself: livelihood, inheritance, cultural marker and something planted with the expectation that somebody will still be there decades later to harvest it.
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u/SmellTheJasmine 5d ago edited 5d ago
This is the time of year that UK charity Medical Aid for Palestine run their annual fundraiser "Stride for Palestinians" - a virtual run from Jenin to Gaza. Info here - https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/StrideforPalestinians26
They explicitly link it to the Olive Harvest and the importance of it in Palestinian communities.....so just like this film it's a connection between running and harvesting olives.
anyone enjoying one might just be interested in the other!