Strawberry Fields (2006 film)
Encyclopedia
Strawberry Fields is a 2006
documentary
by Israeli filmmaker Ayelet Heller about the hardships faced by Palestinian
strawberry
farmers in Gaza
, who find their livelihood disrupted by the Israel-Gaza conflict
.
. In order to get overseas, however, the fruits need to pass through the checkpoint that separates Israel and Gaza. The 2005–2006 growing season coincided with the Israel's disengagement from Gaza and the rise of Hamas
as the ruling political entity. The armed conflict between Israel and Hamas resulted in the closing of the border checkpoint. The strawberries grown at Beit Lahiya cannot leave Gaza, resulting in significant losses for the farmers and their Agrexco partners. Unable to transport their produce, the farmers have no choice but to dispose of their crop and prepare for the following year’s growing season.
Heller also stated that she did not tell her family and friends she was working in Gaza, in order to save them from worrying about her safety and security.
Strawberry Fields was shot between June 2005 and March 2006, the strawberry growing season at Beit Lahiya. Throughout production, gunshots could be heard in the near distance while filming was underway. At one point, Heller's crew telephoned the Israeli Air Force
to ask not to be bombed because they were shooting the film.
, praised the film for providing a different approach of examination for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the U.S., Strawberry Fields was released in non-theatrical DVD distribution by Cinema Guild
Inc.
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
by Israeli filmmaker Ayelet Heller about the hardships faced by Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
farmers in Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, who find their livelihood disrupted by the Israel-Gaza conflict
Israel-Gaza conflict
The Gaza–Israel conflict is a theater of the long-term Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the territory of the Gaza Strip. Palestinians' active resistance to military occupation was escalated in the territory following the overwhelming election to government of the militant Islamic political party...
.
Plot
Strawberry Fields points out that strawberries grown in Gaza are the only agricultural product marketed internationally as being of Palestinian origin. One of the major Gaza strawberry farms in located at Beit Lahiya. More than 1,500 tons of strawberries are exported from Gaza to Europe through the Israeli company AgrexcoCarmel Agrexco
Carmel Agrexco , established in 1956, is Israel’s largest exporter of agricultural produce, with the European Union one of its major markets. Today, the Carmel label markets 350,000 tons of fresh produce and flowers exported around the world, yielding an annual turnover of $580 million...
. In order to get overseas, however, the fruits need to pass through the checkpoint that separates Israel and Gaza. The 2005–2006 growing season coincided with the Israel's disengagement from Gaza and the rise of Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
as the ruling political entity. The armed conflict between Israel and Hamas resulted in the closing of the border checkpoint. The strawberries grown at Beit Lahiya cannot leave Gaza, resulting in significant losses for the farmers and their Agrexco partners. Unable to transport their produce, the farmers have no choice but to dispose of their crop and prepare for the following year’s growing season.
Production
Ayelet Heller stated she wanted Strawberry Fields to be seen as a documentary that covers the human aspect of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, rather than the political elements. "I wanted to do a film about strawberries and hope, relationships between Israelis and Palestinians," she said in an interview with Agence France Presse, adding that many Israeli had serious misperceptions about Gaza. "For them, Gaza is the most dangerous place of the planet. But in the film, I am accepted by people who are nice, who tell jokes."Heller also stated that she did not tell her family and friends she was working in Gaza, in order to save them from worrying about her safety and security.
Strawberry Fields was shot between June 2005 and March 2006, the strawberry growing season at Beit Lahiya. Throughout production, gunshots could be heard in the near distance while filming was underway. At one point, Heller's crew telephoned the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
to ask not to be bombed because they were shooting the film.
Release
Strawberry Fields had its premiere on Israeli television and played in film festivals in Europe and North America. Sean Farnel, director of programing for the Hot Docs Film Festival in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, praised the film for providing a different approach of examination for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the U.S., Strawberry Fields was released in non-theatrical DVD distribution by Cinema Guild
Cinema Guild
The Cinema Guild Inc. was established by Philip and Mary-Ann Hobel, producers known for their work in documentaries and features, including the film Tender Mercies....
Inc.