JAPAN PRIZE 2008 List of Prize

  This powerful film documents the daily struggles of two schools in the West Bank, providing a insight into the pressures of life in Palestine under Israeli occupation. Al Jazeera Television is a co-producer. This program aims to give teachers and yongsters in the United Kingdom an insight into the daily lives of teachers and students in one of the most troubled parts of the world. Inevitably, given that the program features Palestinians and their schools, it presents the conflict in the Middle East from the perspective of the Palestinians.
 The entanglement between Israelis and Palestinians is one of the oldest conflicts in the world. These days the news brings the crisis to our living rooms. Our understanding of events is informed mainly from news on broadcast and other media. That is why it is absolutely important to look behind the crisis and war. Try to imagine:
  • Classrooms bursting with 50 students and one teacher.
  • Heated demonstrations in the streets that create distractions and emotional distress.
  • Teachers working months without pay.
  These are just a few scenes from this important film. The jury evaluated many excellent nominations in the Welfare category yet we were all taken by this moving story. This important film brings a rare, personal glimpse into the daily struggles of those who are trying to teach and those who are trying to learn in Nablus. It is well-constructed with a powerful narrative and gets inside the story to an unusual degree.
  The extraordinary difficulties and struggles that these educators, parents and students face should be viewed around the world to help create awareness, context and hopefully motivate change so that all children can be given a chance to achieve their full potential.
  Spending time in any school tells us so much about the broader society around it; spending time in a school that is literally under fire also gives us a keen sense of just how crucial education is as a lifeline to a better future. We spent months in two Palestine schools to give viewers a genuine sense of daily life there and to understand what education means to them. This was about the business of education even under the most difficult circumstances. What we saw were all the usual school issues, but we also witnessed the extraordinary stresses of over-crowded classes, students in and out of Israeli jails and even students killed in the conflict. This was a difficult film to produce, but nothing compared with the daily difficulties these schools face. This kind of film-making is a real test of trust.
  Flashback Television is hugely grateful to the students and teachers who welcomed director Tom Evans and his local crew into their homes, schools and lives for such a long time. And to Teachers TV and Al Jazeera English who commissioned this program, our thanks and hopes that programs like this continue to be made and shown around the world.

Ingrid Falck
Executive Producer


  For the two months of filming, it was my honour and privilege to live among students and teachers of Palestine. During this time I witnessed the great challenges they face but through it all, the schools never lost their fundamental belief in education. As the head teacher of King Talal Boys' School always says, 'Education is our capital'. Palestinians believe education is the key to a brighter future. I was inspired by this belief and also the general resilience, spirit and character of the Palestinian people. Their reputation for hospitality and generosity is world famous and greatly deserved. My sincerest thanks to all the people who invited me into their lives and showed us the challenges that they face, and overcome, everyday.

Tom Evans
Director