Mohamed Sawwaf
Documentary
Palestine
75’ | 2023
Arabic
Break Prison Palestine is a compelling documentary that chronicles the real-life stories of Palestinian prisoners' daring escapes from Israeli jails, tracing events from the British mandate era to the present day. The film provides a dramatic and documentary-style exploration of how Palestinian detainees have challenged the prison system through inspiring mental battles with their captors. Blending reenactments of key escape scenes with archival footage, the documentary presents six prominent escape stories that highlight creativity and courage in the pursuit of freedom. This cinematic experience offers a poignant and narrative-driven account of Palestinian struggle history.
Written & directed by: Mohamed Sawwaf
Director of Photography: Salah Al Haw
Research: Mohammed Al Dalou
Sound: Marwan Al Sawaf
Editing: Salah Al Haw
Producer: Muhammad Masharawi
Mohamed Sawwaf is a Palestinian director, producer, and journalist, and the founder of Alef Multimedia, based in Palestine. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Media and completed postgraduate studies in Contemporary History. Sawwaf has directed over thirty documentaries, receiving awards and recognition at numerous international festivals, including the Gold Medal at the New York Film Festival 2024, the Royal Television Society Journalism Award 2024 in the UK, the Edward R. Murrow Award, and the Sanford St. Martin Award. His film Eleven Days in May won the RAMDAM Festival Award in Belgium, while The Storyteller earned him the Al Jazeera Film Festival Award for Best Feature in 2015, and I Am Not Disabled received the Al Jaber Award for Human Rights in 2016. Sawwaf collaborates with international stars, including British director Michael Winterbottom, with whom he co-produced and directed Eleven Days in May, featuring global talents such as Kate Winslet and composer Richard Richter. He has also worked under challenging conditions, including during the recent conflict in Gaza, producing impactful films despite personal hardships.