House of Hope

In al-Eizariya, a town in the occupied West Bank, not far from Jerusalem, Palestinian Manar and her husband Milad have established a Waldorf school, a primary school based on the educational principles of anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner. The school preaches non-violent resistance and aims above all to be a place where children feel safe, where they can recover from all the traumas that life under occupation brings. Appropriately, the school is called House of Hope. But that is becoming increasingly difficult, tensions are rising, especially after 7 October 2023. But no matter how grim the situation, Manar and Milad hold on to their ideals.

For her third feature-length documentary, director Marjolein Busstra spent three years following the ups and (especially) downs of the idealistic couple and their two children at home and at school, working closely with a Palestinian crew. The result is this impressive portrait of people who, despite everything, continue to believe in peace.