Hidden spheres — Gali Blay

This is a stop-motion animation documentary film that takes place in Gaza and in the Gaza envelope area extending a few miles outside the fenced-in borders of the Gaza Strip. The protagonists of the film will lead us in a timeline through their hidden experiences. For example HF, a Palestinian social worker from Gaza City, where the inhabitants are allowed only four hours of electricity during the day, chooses to use these hours to watch reruns of Tom and Jerry cartoons with his two children. Yifat, an Israeli nurse who lives in Kibbutz Erez (1.4 km from Gaza), chooses to see the green hills right next to her home, instead of looking beyond it and across the borderline at Gaza. The film will explore the hidden forces of the human defense mechanisms of the inhabitants of these areas. The characters will reveal to the viewer their deepest fears alongside their greatest fantasies and how they help them create a reality they can survive in. The film will present a visualization inspired by the encounters we had with the protagonists of the film, who live in Gaza and in the Gaza envelope area. The visualization reflects the inner and fantastic world of the characters. The film will present a timeline showing the development of human existence in these specific areas, which are under constant threat of violent physical and psychological attacks. The film examines whether the inner and imaginary worlds of the film's protagonists can bridge the dissonance that exists among the residents of the two areas, and find affinity and resemblance to the person who lives on the other side of the fence.

Made in collaboration with May Abadi Grebler and Animas-film Berlin.

Hidden spheres visualizes a research which describes imaginary realities. Following the outcome of the Israeli legislative elections on 17th of March 2015, I set out for a journey from Tel-Aviv to Gaza, to illustrate the two most challenging places to human existence in the region – Gaza (Palestine) and the Gaza envelope area (Israel). this short unravels the fictional or non-fictional realities of the people I met and also the reality I grew up in. The voices are of HF, a Palestinian social worker from Gaza City and Yifat, an Israeli nurse who lives in Kibbutz Erez (1.4 km from Gaza).

Visual research for the film - props and graphic development. Scaled models - scale 1:10

”In the afternoon I sit with my children in the living room. I connect the TV to YouTube and we watch Tom and Jerry, we LOVE IT” a quote from HF, a citizen of Gaza city, Gaza.

I grew up in Tel-Aviv, an hour and a half away from Gaza, but I was never there. As a kid I could only imagine how the people on the other side look like. The separation between Israelis and Palestinians in the region became increasingly worse over the years, making it more difficult for a diplomatic solution between Israelis and Palestinians ever to occur.

Due to the siege on Gaza, the Israeli occupation and the government of the Hammas, in current times as an Israeli citizen I cannot enter. The only way I can see Gaza is through images and through the conversations I have with inhabitants of Gaza which either go out to Israel or through the virtual world. The film does not aim to show a solution, rather examine whether the inner and imaginary worlds of the film's protagonists can bring out the essence of humanity, its fragility and bridge the dissonance that exists among the residents of the two areas. Through this, the protagonists and the viewer can maybe find affinity and resemblance to the persons who live on the other side of the fence.

* The initial research and trailer was made thanks to the stimulerings funds creative industries.

“Our heaven is right here, can you hear the silence?” a quote from Ahi Sitbon, resident of Dekel village ( 5 KM from Gaza).

Images from the making of the trailer: