'Holy Redemption' features at Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival

At the 7th International Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival (AJB DOC), held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, TRT World's investigative documentary Holy Redemption was showcased.

The documentary, created under challenging conditions, takes a deep dive into the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Directed and produced by Jose Carlos Soares, Tanju Sahin, and Aslihan Eker Cakmak, Holy Redemption was filmed two months after the Israeli onslaught on Gaza began on October 7.

The team navigated a difficult infiltration into radical Israeli settler groups in the occupied West Bank to complete the documentary. Speaking to an Anadolu correspondent, the documentary's director Soares noted that the documentary aims to present facts rather than opinions. “The documentary doesn’t reflect our thoughts. In 53 minutes, you won’t find any personal reflections. What you will hear are the genuine thoughts of the people we interviewed,” he said.

Producer Aslihan Eker Cakmak emphasised the documentary's unique perspective, focusing on the settlers who have occupied Palestinian lands. “For the first time, this story is told not through the eyes of the Palestinians whose lands were seized but through the occupiers, the settlers. They are the ones speaking in this documentary,” Cakmak underlined.

She also highlighted the inclusion of Israeli activists in the film, offering a broader look at the ongoing occupation. “This documentary shows how Palestine is being occupied, day by day. A significant network and extensive preparation were needed to produce this. As TRT World, we’ve pursued this project for a long time, and it was only possible through establishing the right contacts and gaining the trust of people on the ground,” she added.