Why Palestinian Director Darin J. Sallam Chose Cinema As Her Weapon

Welcome to “Choose Your Weapon,” a podcast series recorded in Amman. In this podcast, I interview change makers - artists, musicians, journalists, activists, historians - using their tools to stand up for the oppressed.
Palestinian-Jordanian director and writer Darin J. Sallam joins me on this episode. Her groundbreaking film, Farha on Netflix, launched the Nakba genre. Darin shares why she chose cinema as a powerful tool for change, opens up about the obstacles she faced pitching her film (including the powerful Zionist lobby trying to cancel her career), and reveals how to create nuanced, emotional stories that resonate with global audiences.
These conversations aim to inspire you to unlock your strength and make a difference in our fight for collective liberation. So, what weapon are you wielding?
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00:00 Cinema as a weapon
2:45 Muhammad al-Durrah
6:35 Motivation to make "Farha"
9:10 Films about the Nakba
10:25 Zionist lobby and challenges
14:30 Darin's family history
16:00 Nakba Survivors event
26:16 Farha's impact
28:15 Key to Farha's success?
31:30 Telling nuanced stories
34:20 Is Palestine a trend?
35:45 Artists with no values
36:58 How to use art for change