The Urgency of Telling Palestinian Stories

In this episode of Occupied Thoughts, FMEP Fellow Hilary Rantisi speaks with author & architect Suad Amiry and film & TV director/actor/producer Cherien Dabis. They discuss Cherien's latest film, All That's Left of You, an intergenerational story that goes back to the 1948 Nakba and arrives at the present and premiered at Sundance in early 2025. They talk about one of Suad's most famous books, Sharon and My Mother-in-Law, about life under Israeli occupation on the West Bank, and its upcoming adaptation to the screen, which Cherien will direct. Along the way, they discuss the effect of humor in storytelling, the role of diaspora Palestinians and relationship to the broader Palestinian collective, and the urgency of telling Palestinian stories.  Suad Amiry is an award-winning conservation architect and writer. She is Professor of Architecture at Jordan University and Birzeit University, Palestine and a cultural heritage specialist focusing on conservation of historic buildings and revitalization of historic centers. Amiry is the founding director of Riwaq, which endeavors to protect and develop architectural heritage in Palestine and took a major role in the revitalization of the most significant 50 historic centers in rural Palestine. She is widely published and has authored many architectural books and other non-fiction books, including Sharon and My Mother-in-Law (2003, translated into 18 languages); If this is a Life? (2005); Nothing to Lose but Your Life: An 18 Hour Journey with Murad (2010); Golda Slept Here (2014); My Damascus (2016); and Mother of Strangers (2022). On Cherien Dabis is a trailblazing Palestinian American filmmaker and actress who has established herself as a creative force across a variety of mediums. She forged a new genre of Arab American storytelling with her critically acclaimed first feature “Amreeka.” The film world-premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the coveted FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Dabis wrote, directed and starred in her highly anticipated third feature film “All That’s Left of You,” which world-premiered to critical acclaim at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Dabis has directed standout episodes of hit television series such as Hulu’s “Ramy” and Netflix’s “Ozark." In 2022, she became the first Palestinian Emmy nominee for her groundbreaking, dialogue-free episode of Hulu’s comedy “Only Murders in the Building.” Her acting credits include Netflix’s “Mo,” Amazon Prime’s “Fallout” and Tarek Saleh’s “Eagles of the Republic,” which was in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Hilary Rantisi grew up in Palestine and has been involved with education and advocacy on the Middle East since her move to the US. She is a 2025 Fellow at FMEP and was most recently the Associate Director of the Religion, Conflict and Peace Initiative (RCPI) and co-instructor of Learning in Context: Narratives of Displacement and Belonging in Israel/Palestine at Harvard Divinity School. Original music by Jalal Yaquob.