Mohammad Bakri, Palestinian Actor and Icon of Cultural Resistance, Dies at 72

A voice that challenged a nation's narrative has gone silent. Acclaimed Palestinian actor and filmmaker Mohammad Bakri died on Wednesday in northern Israel, ending a five-decade career that made him one of the most influential voices in Palestinian cinema. He was 72. Hospital officials said he died at the Galilee Medical Centre in Nahariya after suffering from heart and lung problems. His passing marks not only the end of a storied career but also a chapter of Palestinian cultural resistance defined by his decades-long legal battles over censorship.

'Jenin, Jenin' and the Unending Fight

Bakri was best known for his 2002 documentary, 'Jenin, Jenin', which captured testimonies from Palestinian residents following a devastating Israeli military operation in the refugee camp that killed 52 Palestinians. The film ignited years of controversy in Israel, and Israeli authorities banned it from screening in 2021. The Supreme Court upheld the prohibition in 2022, deeming it defamatory. Five soldiers sued Bakri, and courts eventually fined him hundreds of thousands of shekels while ordering all copies seized. In an interview, Bakri said, "I intend to appeal the verdict because it is unfair, it is neutering my truth."

An Artist Across Borders

Born in 1953 in the Galilee village of Bi’ina, Bakri was a Palestinian citizen of Israel who studied at Tel Aviv University. He made his film debut at age 30 in Costa-Gavras’s 'Hanna K'. His role as a Palestinian prisoner in the 1984 Israeli film 'Beyond the Walls' earned international acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for the production.

But it was Bakri’s commitment to telling Palestinian stories that defined his career. He appeared in more than 40 films and directed several documentaries. His solo theatrical performance of 'The Pessoptimist', based on Emile Habibi’s novel about Palestinian identity, was performed more than 1,500 times worldwide, cementing his status as a cultural icon. He is survived by his wife Leila and six children, including actors Saleh, Ziad, and Adam Bakri. His funeral was held the same day in Bi’ina.