Ten years ago, Gaza looked very different. And now, thanks to documentary “Yalla Parkour,” the pre-October 7, 2023 Gaza is back on the big screen.
U.S.-based filmmaker Areeb Zuaiter makes her feature debut with “Yalla Parkour,” which centers on young parkour athletes in Gaza who practice the sport on “conflict-scarred” landscape. The disputed land is literally the foundation for the athletes’ livelihoods.
Zuaiter, who is also head of the programming department for the Amman International Film Festival, reconnected with her Palestinian roots during the production that was shot over a decade prior to the October 7, 2023 attacks.
“Yalla Parkour” follows Ahmed Matar, a professional parkour athlete, as he obtains a visa to live and work in the EU. Matar and Abdullah Inshasi and Mohammed AlJakhbir founded the first parkour team in Gaza; “Yalla Parkour” shows a decade of footage from Matar’s parkour training in Gaza before he relocated to Sweden. Now, Matar performs at the Swedish Royal Dramatic Theatre (Dramaten) in the play “Exit Parkour” based on his own personal story. He is also working to develop a parkour association in Stockholm.
“Yalla Parkour” was inspired by Zuaiter’s return to Gaza after her Palestinian mother dies. Per the official synopsis, Zuaiter’s “nostalgia for her homeland resurfaces when she sees a video of Gaza’s young men practicing parkour amid explosions. Reconnecting with Matar, one of the athletes in the video, Zuaiter embarks on a journey through Gaza’s devastated landscape, exploring both parkour sites and symbols of Palestinian spirit. As Zuaiter experiences Gaza through Matar’s eyes, she confronts the harsh reality of the open-air prison Gaza has become, contrasting it with her own life in the U.S. and her mother’s legacy.”
“Yalla Parkour” will have its world premiere at DOC NYC 2024 in the International Competition. Both festival screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director Zuaiter.
“Yalla Parkour” is a Kinana Films production hailing from Sweden, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Palestine. The feature is produced by Basel Mawlawi.
“Yalla Parkour” premieres at DOC NYC 2024, with screenings at the Village East on Saturday, November 16th at 4:30pm and at the IFC Center on Sunday, November 17th at 8:30pm. The film is still awaiting distribution. Check out the trailer below.
