Caught in the middle: 18 Bedouins were murdered and a further seven kidnapped in the terrorist attacks of October 7. At the same time however, as Palestinians, the Bedouin community in the Negev Desert finds itself increasingly under political pressure in Israel. Yousef Abo Madegem, director of the JFBB Feature Film entry EID, and Ofir Trainin speak with five of those affected.
Since October 7, questions of identity have been more intense than ever for the Bedouins in the Negev Desert, caught as they are between Palestinian origin and Israeli citizenship. They have many family ties and contacts in Gaza, and just as many in Israel. Hamas's terrorist attacks have hit the community just as hard as the Israeli army's military actions. Yousef Abo Madegem and Ofir Trainin are both alumni of Sapir Academic College's School of Audio & Visual Arts in southern Israel. The university, located just two and a half kilometres from the border with the Gaza Strip, is dedicated to educating, first and foremost, students from underdeveloped areas of the region. In the past, there have been collaborations with students from Arab countries; 15% of the student body belongs to the Bedouin community. On October 7, more than thirty students and staff of Sapir College fell victim to Hamas terror. In this documentary, co-director Yousef Abo Madegem not only addresses questions of identity within his community but also reflects on the background and reception of his feature film EID, the world premiere of which received a standing ovation at the 2024 Jerusalem Film Festival.
Text: Bernd Buder
Credits
original title Open Wound
international title Open Wound
german title Open Wound
JFBB section KINO FERMISHED
country/countries IL
year 2024
duration 50
Yousef Abo Madegem
BIO … is a cinema teacher, entrepreneur, and social activist in his community. His documentaries have screened at festivals internationally, including Haifa and Nyon. Yousef’s debut fiction feature Eid will be the first fiction film directed by a Bedouin. Yousef is developing his second film, supported by the Israeli Film Fund. As both filmmaker and teacher, he is a unique creative voice.
Ofir Trainin
BIO … is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, director, and producer with over 20 years of experience, known for deeply personal films that explore human psychology through long-term documentation. He has won the Best Israeli Documentary Award at Docaviv twice, for “Even When I Close My Eyes” (2010) and “Family in Transition” (2018), the latter also earning international recognition. His work often focuses on individuals facing life-altering challenges, including “The 74th Space”, “Fantastic Here”, and “The Journey of Their Lives”. Beyond filmmaking, Trainin teaches film studies at Sapir Academic College and Koren Film College, and has extensive experience in mental health rehabilitation, integrating his knowledge into his work.
