occupied Palestinian territory: Production of a Documentary Film about East Jerusalem

1.A DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT EAST JERUSALEM

The City of Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a unique city in a unique historical, political and legal space. A melting pot at the centre of international high politics.

In the middle of this - daily life for the Palestinian residents of the occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem is getting more and more challenging. For most East Jerusalemites a significant part of life is an on-going struggle for basic rights and freedoms. The reality of lacking access to basic services, increasing poverty and a more or less complete lack of protection against rights violations in East Jerusalem communities receives only limited international attention. This despite of the fact that understanding the city’s social and legal status quo is key to understand the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and define viable solutions.

DanChurhAid and PalVision works together in East Jerusalem to strengthen young people’s voice, influence on the daily life in their communities and capacity to document and address violations of their human rights and international law. Beside from supporting youth in taking action we also work to raise international awareness of rights violations – aiming at promoting international action to counter these.

The Film

In East Jerusalem we place a specific focus on (the risk of) demolitions of Palestinian homes and evictions (among others in relation to illegal settlement expansion), the risk of revocation of residency status/permits as well as lacking access to basic services. These are violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law having severe humanitarian consequences and contributing to making it more and more difficult for Palestinians to stay in East Jerusalem.

We wish to produce a documentary film supporting us in raising awareness about this: we wish to visualize and personalize life and rights-violations in East Jerusalem in a way that relates to a European audience - creates identification, is aesthetic and creative. We also want to show the diversity of Palestinian society and have no intention of contributing to portraying Palestinians as merely victims. Using the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan as the starting point/case is an idea – but we are open for suggestions.

The film could be a portrait of the neighbourhood, a portrait of a family facing demolition or expulsion, a snap shot of youth- or child life in Silwan or the struggle to counter a specific rights violation. It could also be something else. It’s up to the filmmaker to develop the concept and the creative take. What is important for us is:

1. That personal stories also shed light on broader dynamics of occupation and its rights-violations

2. That the film uses creative and original tools to give the residents of Silwan (or another community) a voice

1. That the film involves youth and appeals to a young international audience.

The Documentary film should be between 15-30 minutes long.

The film will be screened in six European capitals and used for DCA and PalVision advocacy with public and duty-bearers in Palestine and abroad. We also hope that the filmmaker will have an interest in supporting the distribution of the film.

2.SPECIFIC TASKS

The Production company/individual film-maker will be tasked to:

1. Develop concept and script for a 15 – 30 minutes documentary (relatively low-budget)

2. Develop a production plan

3. Develop budget including all costs:

4. Pre-Production (including concept development and research)

5. Production (including crew, equipment, transportation, translation etc.)

6. Post-Production (including editing, sound, music, subtitles)

7. All other costs (related to travel, accommodation etc.)

8. Manage all elements of the production including hiring of crew, equipment, translation if needed, permits if needed, clearing of royalties and copy-rights. DCA and Palvision will be supporting introduction/liaison with the community, provide legal analysis of IHL and IHRL violations if needed, help set up interviews etc. but primary responsibility lies with the film-maker

9. Engage with DCA and Palvision on overall content and messaging in the documentary. While understanding the need for creative freedom DCA is to finally approve script and final content due to the sensitive nature of the topics addressed.

10. To the extent possible support distribution of the film in own networks in Europe or elsewhere.

3. DELIVERABLES

Timeframe

Suggested timeframe to be submitted with suggested concept.

The deadline for finalizing the film is December 31^st 2016. Production expected to begin by October 1^st, 2016.

Deliverables

1. Concept and script (based on research/engagement with community, DCA and Palvision)

2. Production plan, implementation plan and detailed budget (approved by DCA)

3. At least two screenings of not final versions of film with DCA and Palvision for feedback and potential revision

4. The full documentary with subtitles (Arabic – English – Arabic)

5. A short two-minute film/trailer for social media

6. Support for distribution in own networks

4. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCES

The consultant is expected to fulfill the following requirements:

1. Professional experience in high-quality documentary film production – ideally from the oPt or similar contexts
2. Contextual knowledge (of Israel-Palestine and East Jerusalem)
3. Preferably network in Palestine and in Denmark/EU
4. Ability to support distribution in networks and potentially at festivals
5. Ability to work with youth and include their perspectives
6. Ability to work with a rights and gender perspective
7. Arabic language skills is an asset, but not a requirement

DEADLINE:

Technical and financial proposal should be submitted no later than August 8^th, 2016 at the following email: geze@dca.dk

Important note:

DCA/PalVision unfortunately cannot provide permits to Jerusalem for non-permit holders (relevant to local film-makers). Visa to Israel is the responsibility of the film maker.

DanChurchAid will own copyrights. It will be the responsibility of the film-maker/production company to secure clearing of copy-rights for music etc. used in the film.

5. BACKGROUND ON DANCHURCHAID, PALVISION AND THE PROJECT

DanChurchAid is an independent, faith-based non-missionary humanitarian and development non-governmental organization (NGO) with a headquarter in Copenhagen, Denmark.

DanChurchAid is rooted in the Danish National Evangelical Lutheran Church, but is active wherever we find the need is highest, regardless of religion, gender, political beliefs, race, and national or ethnic origins, handicaps or sexual orientation. Our work is based on a Christian view of humanity with respect for every individual’s rights and equal worth. DanChurchAid carries out its work within the objective: "To help and be advocates of oppressed, neglected and marginalized groups in poor countries and to strengthen their possibilities of a life in dignity”. DanChurchAid’s aim is to strengthen the world’s poorest people in their struggle for a life in dignity. For more information about DCA, please refere to our homepage http://www.danchurchaid.org

Palestinian Vision (PalVision) was established by a group of young Palestinians in 1998 to offer young Palestinians the opportunity to express themselves and bring about positive changes in their communities. The aim was to provide opportunities for young Palestinian leaders to become agents of positive, constructive change within their communities; to give them the space, tools, and training they need for their voices to be heard and taken into account.

PalVision quickly filled a social vacuum, expanding to a grassroots membership of over six hundred members. Through this broad grassroots network and all-youth staff, PalVision implements programs and project that build leadership skills, strengthen self-esteem, identity and community spirit, provide positive channels for self-expression; empower young women, and facilitate dialogue and exchange with international youth. PalVision is emphatically independent from political parties and positions - conceiving, instead, of a democratic future in which Palestinian youth serve as community leaders, working to improve and advance their society. PalVision is one of the few organizations that have sought and continue to stay in the city of Jerusalem in order to best empower young people, in particular East Jerusalemite youth, as well as youth across Palestinian marginalized areas in the West Bank.

Name of project: Promoting Change and Youth Leadership in East Jerusalem

Project duration: 3 years\36 months starting February1, 2016

Implementing agency and partner(s): The Palestinian Vision (Palvision) and DCA

Project funding sources: European Union and DCA

Description of project: The project is a holistic intervention consisting of several components that includes capacity building for youth, CBOs/ other groups, in addition to: Awareness- Raising, Community-Based Initiatives, Local and International Advocacy and Networking. It aims to empower East Jerusalemite youth and Community Based Organizations (CBOs)/other groups to play an active role in their communities and influence Palestinian decision and policy makers. In addition to hold Palestinian and international duty bearers accountable to uphold the rights of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem.

The project targets 20 EJ Jerusalem CBOs/ other groups, 20 West Bank CBOs, 240 EJ Jerusalem youth (age 20-30), Duty Bearers including solidarity groups/INGOs/Religious Leaders/EU Institutions, and 5000 Community Members.

The 20 EJ communiities targeted are, Sur Baher, Old City, Beit Safafa, Wadi Al-Joz, Mount Of Olives, Sharafat, Sheikh Jarrah, Thory, Issawye, Silwan, Shufat, Jabal Al-Mukaber, Abu Deis, Bethany, Ras Al Amoud, Bab Alsahera, Al-Ram, Shu’fat Refugee Camp, Al Z’ayyem, and Beit Hanina

If you want to submit, please contact George Zeidan geze@dca.dk to request the full package of documents (Request for Proposals)

The Candidate shall complete and submit the following documents with his proposal:

1. Proposal Submission Form (Annex 3) duly completed and signed by the Candidate
2. Organisation and Methodology using the structure in Annex 2
3. CV. highlighting the Candidate’s experience in the specific field of the Services and his/her specific experience in the country/region where the Services are to be performed and including examples of previous work;
4. Company registration certificate (if company) Individuals can apply as well.

DEADLINE: Technical and financial proposal should be submitted no later than August 8^th, 2016 at the following email: geze@dca.dk