Mohammad Bakri, renowned Palestinian director of Jenin, Jenin, dies at 72

The renowned Palestinian actor and director Mohammad Bakri died on Wednesday at the age of 72.

He passed away in a hospital in the Israeli city of Nahariya after suffering from heart-related illnesses, according to his family. His health had deteriorated in recent days.

Bakri was best known for his 2002 documentary Jenin, Jenin, which documented the Israeli invasion of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. 

The film drew on interviews with Palestinian residents who survived the military assault.

The 11-day offensive killed 52 Palestinians, including women, the elderly and children, and nearly 300 homes were demolished by Israeli bulldozers.

The documentary sparked controversy in Israel and led to years of legal action against Bakri, including repeated attempts to ban the film. In 2021, an Israeli court prohibited its screening nationwide.

Despite sustained incitement and legal pressure, Bakri repeatedly affirmed his determination to convey the oppression faced by the Palestinian people to a global audience through his art. 

Responding to the 2021 court ruling, he said he had no regrets whatsoever about making the movie, adding he would do it all over again if he could turn back time. 

“I would make the film again to expose the inhumane crimes committed by the occupation army during its invasion of the Jenin refugee camp,” he said.

“This is the truth the occupation does not want to hear because it exposes its crimes.”

Acclaimed career 

Born in 1953 in the Galilean town of Biina, Bakri was a Palestinian citizen of Israel - who are the descendants of the native Palestinian population forcibly expelled by Zionist gangs during the 1948 Nakba. 

After completing elementary school in Biina and secondary school in Acre, he studied Arabic literature and theatre at Tel Aviv University. 

Known for his deep passion for acting, Bakri performed in theatres across the world, including in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Canada. 

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He also appeared in numerous films, making his screen debut at age 30 as the main Palestinian character in Costa-Gavras’s 1983 film Hanna K. 

One of his notable collaborations was with Gaza-born filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, appearing in films such as Haifa (1996) and Laila’s Birthday (2008).

In 1998, he made his debut as a director with the film 1948, released on the 50th anniversary of the Nakba, which chronicled the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by Zionist gangs to create the State of Israel.
 
The film included survivor testimonies from massacres in Deir Yassin and al-Dawayima, archival photos, and interviews with Palestinian authors such as Taha Muhammad Ali and Liana Badr.

Over his career, Bakri contributed to 43 works as an actor, director and producer.

He is survived by his wife, Leila, and six children, including Adam, Ziad and Saleh, who are also actors.

Bakri's documentary Jenin, Jenin is still available to watch on Vimeo.