Slingshot Hip Hop

Jacqueline Reem Salloum, 2008, 88′

Arabic, English, Hebrew with English subtitles

Slingshot Hip Hop braids together the stories of young Palestinians living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel as they discover Hip Hop and employ it as a tool to surmount divisions imposed by occupation and poverty. From internal checkpoints and Separation Walls to gender norms and generational differences, this is the story of young people crossing the borders that separate them.

Jacqueline Reem Salloum is an artist and filmmaker of Palestinian and Syrian descent. Her multi-media based artwork focuses on documenting histories and memories of people, including her family, that have been fragmented by displacement and exile. Salloum’s art and video work have been exhibited in solo and group shows in the US and internationally

The screening is followed by a conversation with Abu Hajar and Dima Hamdan

Abu Hajar, a Syrian rapper and political activist, faced imprisonment in Syria for his outspoken lyrics. He started his rap career in 2004, addressing political issues like the invasion of Iraq. In 2007, he co-founded Mazzaj, the first Syrian hip-hop group in Tartous. Abu Hajar has performed in over 50 cities across the Middle East and Europe. Nominated for the International Freedom of Speech Award in 2016, he’s recognized for his bold voice and advocacy for free expression.

Dima Hamdan is a Palestinian journalist and award-winning filmmaker based in Berlin. Her latest short film, “Blood Like Water”, had its World Premiere at the Oscar- qualifying Galway Film Festival in Ireland, in July 2023. The film was shot in Bethlehem with support from the Palestine Film Lab and the French Consulate in Jerusalem. Dima spent over 12 years working with the BBC Arabic and World Service in London, with reporting assignments in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine. The stories of people she met along the way inspired many of her film projects. A self-taught filmmaker, she wrote and directed several short films since 2007.