Flying Paper review by Sofia Mommo

Flying Paper, directed by Nitin Sawhney and Roger Glenn Hill, is an uplifting documentary about Palestinian kids and their life in the small village of Seifa, near the northern border with Israel. The name of the documentary comes from flying kites, which is a popular pastime activity among Palestinian kids. The 2013 documentary takes a different approach to life in the occupied Palestine. It shows the  side of Gaza that is not often talked about in the mainstream media. 

The documentary follows siblings Musa and Widad, who are enthusiastic kite makers. The documentary also features Abeer, a young woman who dreams of becoming a journalist. She wants to show the world what Gaza and Palestine are actually like. The friends and family of Musa, Widad and Abeer are also featured in the documentary. The documentary shows how Musa, Widad and Abeer prepare for the upcoming Kite Festival, where thousands of kites are flown in order to break the world record. 

The whole documentary is heavily centered around kites. Animated scenes of a paper kite flying around Gaza are shown in between the real footage filmed in Gaza. These animated scenes are used to show the viewer where the documentary was filmed. The colorful paper kite is also used symbolically. The animated kite represents the Palestinian people and their culture. It is colorful and bright, and it deserves to be free. 

To the Palestinian people the kite represents hope. Inspite of the challenges and hardships  Palestinians have and will face, they will rather look up and see beauty than look down and feel trapped. Flying kites is a tradition that has been passed down through many generations. It can be viewed as hope being passed down from parents to their children. The hope of a free Palestine. The kite is used as a symbol of hope in the animated scenes. In the documentary, when discussing the Israeli occupation of Palestine, an animated scene of a kite flying and getting stuck on a barbed wire fence was shown. This animated scene symbolized how the Palestinians are stuck in Gaza. They are stuck behind fences, with no way out. 

In the mainstream media, Gaza and occupied Palestine are often shown as warzones. Flying Paper takes a different approach to showing what life is like in Gaza. It shows markets, kids playing and telling stories. The kids discuss their everyday lives, dreams and what it’s like to live under Israeli occupation. School, traveling and bravery are discussed among the kids. Many of them tell how brave they have been during bombings, often exaggerating their bravery.  School grades are not exaggerated. The kids share their success and good grades with pride. 

Flying Paper is a beautiful representation of the Palestinian people and culture. It takes a unique approach to the Israeli occupation and sheds light on themes that are not seen in mainstream media. Flying Paper gives the viewer a chance to experience the beauty of Palestine through the eyes of children. Flying Paper is a documentary worth a watch.