Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

2024 3h 26m SV

🤯

9.0

MASTERPIECE

★9.0TMDB · 1

DocumentaryHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Archival film maestro Göran Hugo Olsson has assembled—from a vast catalogue of footage in the vaults of Sweden’s national television service SVT—accounts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as witnessed and represented by Swedish journalists. Stories of the beginning of the Israeli state interwoven with the Palestinian struggle for independence. News coverage with Yasser Arafat and interviews with Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban during a visit to Sweden unseen since first broadcast. From the tenth anniversary of Israel’s founding to the First Intifada, perspectives and encounters with statesmen, civilians, revolutionaries, and intellectuals tell the story from myriad angles of an evolving media landscape, revivifying a history of the ongoing conflict.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

OVIDSubscription

Apple TV StoreRent

Apple TV StoreBuy

Cast

Yasser Arafat
Self (archive footage)
David Ben-Gurion
Self (archive footage)
Abba Eban
Self (archive footage)
Per-Åke Holmquist
Self (archive footage)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Göran Olsson
Writers: Göran Olsson
Languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew, Swedish
Countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 206 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew, Swedish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Gary Nilsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Britta Norell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Yasser Arafat and David Ben-Gurion and Abba Eban carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Göran Olsson directs. Gary Nilsson scores. Britta Norell cuts. A long sit — settle in. Produced in Denmark, Finland, Sweden. Dialogue in Arabic, English, Hebrew, Swedish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 206 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Arabic, English, Hebrew, Swedish.
4International production across 3 countries: Denmark, Finland, Sweden.
5Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
6Original score by Gary Nilsson. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Britta Norell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Yasser Arafat and David Ben-Gurion and Abba Eban carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt32909395 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 1 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
11Classified under 17 themes, including "israel", "palestinian-israeli conflict", "palestine", "1970s".