Welcome to Hebron

Welcome to Hebron or Välkommen till Hebron is a documentary that was filmed during more than three years on location in Hebron, West Bank. 17-year old Leila Sarsour is the main character of the film. Leila is a student at the Al-Qurtuba-school, a Palestinian girlschool surrounded by Israeli military installations and Israeli settlements. The film takes a fierce stand against the State of Israel, Jewish settlers, and followers of assassinated Jewish leader and Knesset member Rabbi Meir Kahane.

A former commander of the Israeli army are among the people being interviewed in Welcome to Hebron. The soldier is a member of Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence sharing his story of daily life under military occupation. Some have criticised the makers of the film for not interviewing other soldiers instead of one from the far-left group Breaking the Silence.

Filmmaker Terje Carlsson is a freelance journalist based for many years in Jerusalem, working mostly for Swedish National Radio (SR) and Television (SVT). This is his first full-length documentary.

In November 2007, the Stockholm International Film Festival screened the world premiere. Screenings in the Oslo International film Festival followed suit in November 2007. showed the film in March 2008.

Welcome to Hebron was broadcasted on Swedish TV (SVT) in February 2008.

Stockholm International Film Festival wrote the following about the film:
"Never afraid of getting in close with his handheld camera, director Terje Carlsson is a clever observer, not shying away from controversy, instead letting the situations play themselves out without interruption."

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