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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Basel Adra, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land," in Istanbul and described the film as a powerful work that draws global attention to the struggle of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and the expansion of Israeli control since the Nakba.
The meeting took place on Monday at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office in Istanbul behind closed doors, where Erdogan congratulated Adra for the international awards that "No Other Land" has collected and underlined that Türkiye would remain firm in its support for the Palestinian people.
During the conversation, Erdogan referred to the southern hills of Hebron, which he described as the place where “the most brutal face of Israel’s occupation is seen,” and argued that anyone who tries to document what happens there quickly turns into a direct target. He offered his condolences over the killing of Adra’s close friend Awdah Hathaleen by Israeli settlers, extended his sympathy to all those who have lost their lives, and said he greatly valued the courage shown while making the documentary.
The president explained that he himself often relies on visual material when he addresses the international community, saying he attaches importance to explaining how the Palestinian cause has evolved “through photographs and maps,” based on the idea that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” He linked this approach to Adra’s work by stressing that the director’s art calls attention to what he described as Israeli expansionism that has continued since the Nakba, a term that the statement presented as a turning point in the Palestinian experience.
Erdogan argued that mainstream cinema has largely failed to reflect Palestinian suffering, saying that “it is a fact that Palestinian tragedy is not adequately addressed in film industry.” He went on to claim that what he called the structural alignment of the industry with Israel plays a major role in this situation and added that Adra had personally experienced this climate of censorship in its harshest form.
Recalling public displays of support for Palestine at major film events, he pointed to the previous year’s solidarity at the Oscars and at the Cannes Film Festival, noting that demonstrators outside the awards venues, the messages of actors, and visible symbols such as pins and clothing all signaled backing for Gaza. He said this year’s Academy Awards had shown an even stronger stance and expressed the hope that such support would grow further through the efforts of what he described as people of conscience around the world.
The president underlined what he saw as the core duty of artistic work, saying that “the fundamental mission of art is to pursue truth,” and added that he considered "No Other Land" extremely important in helping to awaken global conscience. “I consider your documentary 'No Other Land,' which has won awards at many international events, extremely important in awakening global conscience,” he said, calling on Adra to continue his work so that public backing does not fade and attention does not drift away from Palestine.
Erdogan closed the meeting by extending his congratulations not only to Adra but also to the other filmmakers and everyone involved in the documentary, while reiterating that Türkiye would remain steadfast in its support for the Palestinian people.
"No Other Land" is a joint production by Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor. The film focuses on Masafer Yatta, described in the statement as an area in the southern tip of the West Bank where Palestinians resist what is presented as Israel’s policy of demolition and forced displacement.
The documentary follows Adra’s efforts to record, often at considerable personal risk, the destruction carried out by the Israeli army as it attempts to turn the area into a military training zone. Based on real events that took place between 2019 and 2023, the film brings together images from Palestinian homes, personal archives, news footage, and conversations between Israelis and Palestinians, and it sets out to offer a striking testimony of life under occupation, repeated demolitions, and a continuing search for truth.
The work won the Oscar for Best Documentary at a ceremony held in Los Angeles. Before its Academy Award, No Other Land had already received Best Documentary at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, picked up the Panorama Audience Award, and was honored by Germany’s public broadcaster RBB, according to the statement.
The text also notes that Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen, who contributed to the film, was killed on July 28 in Masafer Yatta when Israeli settler Yinon Levi opened fire indiscriminately, an incident that the statement links directly to the broader pattern of violence depicted in the documentary.
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