To most of us, he seems immutable, eternal, indestructible: Yasser Arafat, one of the most controversial men of our time.
In this one-hour film, layer after layer of Arafat's life is peeled away to reveal a man plagued by inner conflicts, torn between the international pressure to achieve peace and his inner need for conflicts that affirm and demand his leadership.
Historical footage is interspersed with statements by Arafat himself and surprisingly candid comments by historians, members of his family, fellow freedom fighters and simple Palestinian civilians. Focusing exclusively on Arab interview partners, the filmmakers avoid the pitfalls of anti-Arab prejudice yet nevertheless achieve a well-balanced view of the leader.
Arafat's mission is to create a Palestinian nation independent of Israel. But will he - or has he already - "let the olive branch fall from [his] hands" (Arafat at the U.N., 1974)? |
