Palestinian filmmaker Mohammad Bakri, Jenin documentary director, dies at 72
Palestinian actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri, a central figure in Palestinian cinema and political documentary, has died at the age of 72. Known internationally for directing the controversial documentary Jenin, Jenin, Bakri’s work focused on Palestinian memory, displacement and occupation. His death marks the end of a decades-long career spanning more than 40 films as an actor and director.
Palestinian filmmaker and actor Mohammad Bakri has died at the age of 72, according to local reports. Bakri passed away at Nahariya Hospital in northern Israel after suffering from a heart-related illness. Widely regarded as a key voice in modern Palestinian cinema, he built a career that combined film, theatre and political storytelling, reaching audiences well beyond Palestine.
Career spanning film and theatre
Over several decades, Bakri appeared in more than 40 productions, earning recognition for performances in films such as Wajib, Tale of the Three Jewels and All That’s Left of You. Alongside acting, he became an influential director, using cinema to explore Palestinian identity, history and daily life under occupation in Israel and the occupied West Bank.
Jenin, Jenin and legal controversy
Bakri was best known internationally for his 2002 documentary Jenin, Jenin, which documented Israel’s military operation in the Jenin refugee camp through testimonies of Palestinian survivors. The film triggered intense debate in Israel, resulting in years of legal disputes and a 2021 court ruling that barred its nationwide screening, placing Bakri at the centre of a high-profile freedom of expression debate.
Lasting impact on Palestinian cinema
His directorial works also included 1948, Min Yum Mahrucht, Zahara, Water and Blackness, films that addressed themes of displacement, memory and resistance. Bakri’s death has prompted renewed attention to his cultural legacy and the enduring role of cinema in documenting Palestinian history and lived experience.
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