Doc Edge 2024: I Shall Not Hate | Interview of Tal Barda

We had the pleasure of meeting filmmaker Tal Barda to discuss the making of her feature film I Shall Not Hate, in collaboration with Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a renowned Palestinian doctor who carries a powerful message of peace and reconciliation between Israel and Palestine. Despite enduring and continuing to endure the worst atrocities, including the loss of many family members to the Israeli army, he remains a beacon of hope. A three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, this extraordinary man and his story are at the heart of the film directed by Tal Barda. Before landing in New Zealand, the film, produced by Paul Cadieux and distributed by Filmoption, premiered at CPH:DOX 2024 and won the Audience Award at Movies that Matter 2024. Both Tal Barda and Dr. Abuelaish were present in Christchurch, New Zealand, to present I Shall Not Hate at the 19th Doc Edge Festival.

The Genesis of Collaboration

The journey of creating I Shall Not Hate began with a serendipitous discovery. “I knew Dr. Abuelaish’s story from public TV in Israel, but I found out about the depth of his story through my sister, who’s a human rights lawyer,” Barda shared. “I just decided to write him. It was surprising to me that nobody had made a feature-length documentary about him despite his incredible story.”

Jerusalem-born Barda, who carries a rich blend of French, American, and Israeli identities, felt a profound connection to Dr. Abuelaish’s message. “Living in Israel through many years of conflict, I always wanted to create change. For me, making films and documentaries is a tool to try and create that change.”

The Challenges of Storytelling

Gaining Dr. Abuelaish’s trust was no easy feat. “It took quite some time to get him committed. There were many moments when I thought it would never work,” Barda admitted. However, perseverance paid off, and the long, arduous process began to bear fruit.

One of the significant challenges was balancing the personal story of Dr. Abuelaish with the broader context of Gaza’s history and politics. “At first, I wanted to focus solely on his story, but I realized people need to understand the context. It was complicated because each event has another side or something that led to it. How far back do you go? Which side do you stop at?” Barda explained.

Dr. Abuelaish: A Beacon of Hope Amid Conflict

Dr. Abuelaish was the first Palestinian doctor to work in an Israeli maternity ward. Against all odds, he chose to turn his tragedy of losing three daughters to an israeli tank in 2009 into a global campaign to eradicate hate. For Barda, he represents a beacon of hope in a conflicted world. “Living in a very conflicted area, you hold on to things that give you hope. Dr. Abuelaish’s story and charisma drew me in. He looks beyond his own story and understands how his experiences can impact others. He believes there must be a reason for what happened to him, and he chooses to be active, not just for himself but for others.”

Blending Personal and Political Narratives

Barda’s approach evolved as the project progressed. “We had to focus on everything with a real connection to him. For instance, the unilateral disengagement from Gaza in 2005 didn’t directly relate to the doctor, so we left it out. But the elections were crucial since he ran for office against Hamas.”

This nuanced storytelling required careful scripting and creative techniques. “We used animation to bring certain strong stories to life, like when he arrived at the hospital to find his wife unconscious. These stories couldn’t be fully illustrated with just photos or someone talking.”

The film’s animated sequences, created by a French company, and led by Anne Pages and Jean-Christophe Lie, added depth and realism. “They wanted to lean on actual photos, like those of the Palestinian refugee camps in the 1960s. The process involved scripting, designing, and slowly bringing everything to life with color,” Barda described. The inspiration came from The Swallows of Kabul (Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec, 2019). Barda found its color and shadow particularly compelling.

The Editing Process

Editing such a complex film required a skilled partner. “Geoff Klein, the editor, did an incredible job. It was challenging to decide what to use and how to blend images and archival footage with current events,” Barda said. The entire editing process was conducted over Zoom, adding another layer of difficulty. “Editors are crucial to the storytelling in documentaries, and Geoff was instrumental in shaping the film.”

Screening at Doc Edge Festival

The 19th Doc Edge Festival was a bold platform to showcase I Shall Not Hate. Barda praised the festival’s directors, Dan Shanan and Alex Lee, for their courage in featuring films from both sides of the conflict since the program included the world premiere of We Will Dance Again in which director Yariv Mozer chronicles the terrorist attacks which unfolded on October 7th, 2023. “Many festivals avoid these topics, but it’s crucial to screen both perspectives. It’s not about agreeing with one side but about understanding and acknowledging the complexities,” Barda emphasized. “We need to be able to see both films to understand the full picture,” Barda said. “It’s an opportunity to break through the censorship and limited perspectives we often see.”

In a politically charged edition of the Doc Edge Festival, the two films in question each scooped up two awards during the ceremony. I Shall Not Hate was awarded Best Film in the “Bridges of Understanding” festival category and surprisingly swept the Best Cinematography award within the international competition, even though the film shines more due to its editing and handling of many different regimes of images, including archival footage and animated sequences, than its cinematography.

We are thrilled to be covering Doc Edge 2024 on the ground in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. Explore our exclusive coverage here.