In her film, director Neta Shoshani examines the gap between reality and the myths that emerged in real-time among underground fighters and IDF soldiers—myths that later solidified as historical truths in the young state. The film’s meticulous research is evident in every cinematic decision and interview, constructing a coherent timeline from the UN partition resolution to the war’s conclusion. Through letters and documents from Israelis and Palestinians, combined with carefully curated archival footage, the film creates an immersive historical experience of the turbulent and bloody birth of the Jewish state in what was then British Mandate Palestine and the Palestinian Nakba.
Remarkably, the film allows viewers to absorb, question, and reflect without imposing a singular narrative—an almost impossible task given the sensitivity of what is now known as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Alongside its archival and letter-based storytelling, 1948: Remember, Remember Not interweaves present-day scenes that explore different approaches to historical preservation, the unearthing of buried truths, and how historical documentation itself can become a political act.
Beyond constructing a cohesive historical narrative, this documentary challenges audiences to critically examine the origins of widely accepted Israeli national myths. Rather than reinforcing entrenched perspectives, the film invites viewers to consider the coexistence of multiple, even contradictory, narratives side by side.
Text: Naomi Levari
Following both screenings there will be a Q&A with director Neta Shoshani.
