Shedding light on the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Ateneo 4 Palestine – Davao (A4P) organized the screening of Where Olive Trees Weep, a documentary capturing the lived realities and systemic oppression of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.

A4P-Davao Internal Vice President John Makiling stressed that films hold the power to outlast violence and shape consciousness, reminding that historically, cinema has been wielded as both a weapon of oppression and a tool for liberation. 

“Movies and films are the creations of the human brain, and they are stronger than missiles because they can change minds and keep stories alive… Oppressors use films to spread propaganda and lies; however, for the oppressed people in the world, we preserve memory and tell the world what’s really happening,” he stated.

The Ateneo Muslim Society (SALAM) Secretary-General Nazz Reah Nuril called for moving beyond superficial sympathy toward genuine solidarity through sustained advocacy and action.

“I’m hoping we don’t just look at what is happening in a lens that is superficial and surface level …live through these beliefs that this is not irreversible. The humanitarian crisis that is happening in Gaza is not to be taken lightly.”

A4P–Davao Convener Allena Sofia de Castro linked the Palestinian’s historical displacement and fight for self-determination to the experiences of Moro and Lumad communities in Mindanao.

“The struggle of the Palestinian and poor people is a shared quest for self-determination. The oppression of the U.S.-Marcos regime of the Moros and Muslim Filipinos is not different from the oppression of the U.S.-Israelis of the Palestinians,” she declared.

de Castro characterized the genocide in Gaza as a reflection of Western-backed imperialism that exploits natural resources at the expense of civilian lives.

“The occupation and genocide in Palestine is a manifestation of the brutalities of imperialism, where the lives of civilians mean little to nothing for as long as they can monopolize the national resources of the land through their genocide.”

She also cautioned that complicity in the violence against the Palestinians often happens subtly, with many unknowingly supporting the systems that perpetuate their suffering.

“The journalist in Jerusalem said: ‘Please do not put penny on the bullets that shoot our children.’ But we already are. We are sustaining genocide in Palestine without even realizing it.”

Initiated by Ateneo 4 Palestine – Davao, in partnership with Ateneo de Davao University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council, the film screening “Pelikula Mula Palestina” was held on September 12 in 8F Media Training Room 1, CCFC Building, Ateneo de Davao University.