ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
Two Palestinian girls who ride and train horses must brave the forces of occupation and negotiate cultural and institutional restrictions to pursue their dreams.
SYNOPSIS
Above the city of Jenin, a dirt road leads to the Jenin Equestrian Club, an oasis in the West Bank where Palestinians learn how to ride and show jump. In this world where people encounter hurdles as part of daily life, horses are a link to a legacy of freedom. The Bedouin called the Arabian mares they prized banat Alreeh, “daughters of the wind”, capturing in that metaphor the poetry of their movement across open desert spaces. Today, Palestinians’ love of equine beauty and strength has become a way of defining an identity and providing a respite from the strictures imposed by the occupying forces.
Jana Mahamid, who aspires to be a professional showjumper, began her career at the Jenin Club as a young girl, spending arduous hours crossing checkpoints to get to her lessons from her Arab town in Israel. Maya Abu Sebaa, who lives in Jenin City and grew up wanting to show Arabian horses bred in Palestine internationally, is currently at vet school planning to become the first female equine vet in the West Bank. The film chronicles both quests, revealing the inspirational roles Jana and Maya play. When Jana jumps, she lifts the hopes of all the girls and women around her. Likewise, Maya’s determination to enter a male-dominated field is a beacon of light.
After the events of October 7th and the ensuing war in Gaza, the footage gleaned from seven years of following Jana and Maya’s coming-of-age now has an added charge, revealing the dreams they both had before their world was upended and raises new questions about what their lives are like in the wake of the tragedy that has unfolded across the entire region.
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Anne Landsman
PRODUCER Anne Landsman, Susan Margolin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Samar Ali
CO-PRODUCER Taher Kosa
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