Resistance Heroes in Occupied Palestine

Atoms of Resistance

Priya Guns (2015)

Film Review

Atoms of Resistance is about individual acts of resistance in occupied Palestine. None of the Palestinians featured belong to any organized resistance movement. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) subjects them and their children to periodic shelling and bombing simply for their continued presence in territory Israel wants for its own settlers. From this perspective, simply choosing to remain (rather than becoming refugees in other countries) is a heroic act of resistance.

Beside exploring the mindset of Palestinian men and women who choose to endure Israel’s policy of preventive terrorism, the film features some great scenes of Palestinian children telling off IDF soldiers and pushing them around.

There’s also an interesting segment about Palestinian children studying copoeria, a Brazilian martial art that combines dance, aerobics and music.