Photo/Illutration Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham hold Oscars for Best Documentary Feature Film for "No Other Land" at the Governors Ball following the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, on March 2. (REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo)

Suddenly, the Israeli military descended upon a small village, destroying homes and pouring raw concrete into wells. There was no trace of mercy.

The film "No Other Land," which portrays the plight of Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank, has been selected for this year’s Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Yuval Abraham, a young Israeli journalist, writes articles condemning his homeland for the ongoing destruction in parts of the West Bank. Yet, his work has not gained the readership he hoped for.

His Palestinian friend, Basel Adra, who works alongside him, offers a calming perspective: "You are too enthusiastic. You want to see change overnight—it won't come tomorrow."

Patience, Basel reminds him, is essential to finding a solution.

It was a startling moment of realization. The desire for an immediate resolution to the conflict is understandable and justified. A faint glimmer of hope emerges in scenes where young people from both sides join hands.

Yet, the tangled web of complex history and the machinations of powerful nations cannot be unraveled overnight—a sobering reality the film underscores.

The footage was captured up to the fall of 2023, but the series of tragedies that followed likely brought significant changes.

Yuval, once criticized for his excessive enthusiasm, calmly reflected on CNN: "It’s very hard to speak about the power of documentaries and footage now, when there is so much footage.”

Neither overly optimistic nor resigned, and without burning out or being indifferent, they continue to advocate persistently, like a smoldering fire. Such resilience may indeed be necessary to endure daily life in such a contested land.

Just a few days ago, the village reportedly came under attack by masked Israeli settlers. The Academy Award spotlight contrasts starkly with the enduring shadow of persecution.

For Basel and Yuval, the true aspiration is neither applause from audiences nor the honor of a prestigious award, but simply a peaceful life. That, above all, is what truly matters.

—The Asahi Shimbun, March 16

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.