Hamdan Ballal Al-Huraini is a Palestinian filmmaker, photographer, and human rights activist. He was co-directing the documentary No Other Land (2024), which shows the struggles of Palestinians in the West Bank, especially in the area of Masafer Yatta, where people face displacement by Israeli authorities. The film won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025.
Early Life and Career
Hamdan Ballal (born 1989) was born in Susiya, a rural village in the South Hebron Hills. Growing up amidst the challenges of occupation, he became deeply connected to his land and community. Besides his work as a filmmaker, Ballal is a farmer and an activist, volunteering for human rights organizations like B'Tselem, where he documented human rights abuses in the West Bank.
Filmmaking Career
Hamdan Ballal gained international recognition as a co-director of the documentary No Other Land (2024), alongside Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor. The film, which took five years to make, documents the experiences of Palestinian communities in Masafer Yatta, a region under threat of displacement by Israeli authorities and settlers. No Other Land premiered at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in 2024 and received widespread acclaim.
Awards
No Other Land earned several prestigious awards, including:
- 2024: International Documentary Association – Best Director (shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham)
- 2024: Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival (shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham)
- 2024: Berlinale Documentary Award at the Berlin International Film Festival (shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham)
- 2025: Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards (shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham)
- 2025: Best Documentary at the 78th British Academy Film Awards (shared with Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham)
Attack and Detention
In March 2025, he was attacked by Israeli settlers and later detained by the Israeli army, which brought even more attention to his work and the issues he advocated for. His films and activism have made him an important voice for Palestinian rights.. After the attack, while he was being treated in an ambulance, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers intervened, pulled him out of the ambulance, blindfolded him, and detained him. This incident sparked outrage, with his fellow filmmaker Yuval Abraham publicly condemning the attack.
