Walaa!

Walaa Hussein is a Muslim Arab. She's Palestinian, she's Israeli, she's a woman – and on top of all that, a football playing woman. Walaa refuses to choose sides: The 23-year-old is not only playing in the Palestinian national team, but also for the Israeli football league. She challenges borders, whether on the map or in the hearts or minds of people. Walaa crosses lines: political, religious, conventional and traditional lines. Lines that most people in Israel, as well as in Palestine, would find impossible to pass. The film accompanies the football player for one year on both sides of the wall separating Israel and the West Bank. It joins Walaa training with the Palestinian national team and is at her side when her Israeli club Ramat HaSharon is promoted from the second to the first league. It follows her to her hometown Sha'ab in Israel and to Zababdeh in West Jordan, where she lives.

Source: 47. Hofer Filmtage 2013