Movies
A Palestinian-Israeli film just won an Oscar − so why is it so hard to see?
The Palestinian-Israeli film “No Other Land” won the 2025 Academy Award for best documentary but struggles to find a U.S. distributor due to its controversial subject matter around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Despite critical acclaim, it faces unique barriers compared to other independent films.
Last Updated on November 3, 2025 by Daily News Staff
A Palestinian-Israeli film just won an Oscar
Drew Paul, University of Tennessee
For many low-budget, independent films, an Oscar win is a golden ticket.
The publicity can translate into theatrical releases or rereleases, along with more on-demand rentals and sales.
However, for “No Other Land,” a Palestinian-Israeli film that just won best documentary feature at the 2025 Academy Awards, this exposure may not translate into commercial success in the U.S. That’s because the film has been unable to find a company to distribute it in America.
“No Other Land” chronicles the efforts of Palestinian townspeople to combat an Israeli plan to demolish their villages in the West Bank and use the area as a military training ground. It was directed by four Palestinian and Israeli activists and journalists: Basel Adra, who is a resident of the area facing demolition, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. While the filmmakers have organized screenings in a number of U.S. cities, the lack of a national distributor makes a broader release unlikely.
Film distributors are a crucial but often unseen link in the chain that allows a film to reach cinemas and people’s living rooms. In recent years it has become more common for controversial award-winning films to run into issues finding a distributor. Palestinian films have encountered additional barriers.
As a scholar of Arabic who has written about Palestinian cinema, I’m disheartened by the difficulties “No Other Land” has faced. But I’m not surprised.
The role of film distributors
Distributors are often invisible to moviegoers. But without one, it can be difficult for a film to find an audience.
Distributors typically acquire rights to a film for a specific country or set of countries. They then market films to movie theaters, cinema chains and streaming platforms. As compensation, distributors receive a percentage of the revenue generated by theatrical and home releases.
The film “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat,” another finalist for best documentary, shows how this process typically works. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 and was acquired for distribution just a few months later by Kino Lorber, a major U.S.-based distributor of independent films.
The inability to find a distributor is not itself noteworthy. No film is entitled to distribution, and most films by newer or unknown directors face long odds.
However, it is unusual for a film like “No Other Land,” which has garnered critical acclaim and has been recognized at various film festivals and award shows. Some have pegged it as a favorite to win best documentary at the Academy Awards. And “No Other Land” has been able to find distributors in Europe, where it’s easily accessible on multiple streaming platforms.
So why can’t “No Other Land” find a distributor in the U.S.?
There are a couple of factors at play.
Shying away from controversy
In recent years, film critics have noticed a trend: Documentaries on controversial topics have faced distribution difficulties. These include a film about a campaign by Amazon workers to unionize and a documentary about Adam Kinzinger, one of the few Republican congresspeople to vote to impeach Donald Trump in 2021.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, of course, has long stirred controversy. But the release of “No Other Land” comes at a time when the issue is particularly salient. The Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israeli bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip have become a polarizing issue in U.S. domestic politics, reflected in the campus protests and crackdowns in 2024. The filmmakers’ critical comments about the Israeli occupation of Palestine have also garnered backlash in Germany.
Yet the fact that this conflict has been in the news since October 2023 should also heighten audience interest in a film such as “No Other Land” – and, therefore, lead to increased sales, the metric that distributors care about the most.
Indeed, an earlier film that also documents Palestinian protests against Israeli land expropriation, “5 Broken Cameras,” was a finalist for best documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards. It was able to find a U.S. distributor. However, it had the support of a major European Union documentary development program called Greenhouse. The support of an organization like Greenhouse, which had ties to numerous production and distribution companies in Europe and the U.S., can facilitate the process of finding a distributor.
By contrast, “No Other Land,” although it has a Norwegian co-producer and received some funding from organizations in Europe and the U.S., was made primarily by a grassroots filmmaking collective.
Stages for protest
While distribution challenges may be recent, controversies surrounding Palestinian films are nothing new.
Many of them stem from the fact that the system of film festivals, awards and distribution is primarily based on a movie’s nation of origin. Since there is no sovereign Palestinian state – and many countries and organizations have not recognized the state of Palestine – the question of how to categorize Palestinian films has been hard to resolve.
In 2002, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected the first ever Palestinian film submitted to the best foreign language film category – Elia Suleiman’s “Divine Intervention” – because Palestine was not recognized as a country by the United Nations. The rules were changed for the following year’s awards ceremony.
In 2021, the cast of the film “Let It Be Morning,” which had an Israeli director but primarily Palestinian actors, boycotted the Cannes Film Festival in protest of the film’s categorization as an Israeli film rather than a Palestinian one.
Film festivals and other cultural venues have also become places to make statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and engage in protest. For example, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, the right-wing Israeli culture minister wore a controversial – and meme-worthy – dress that featured the Jerusalem skyline in support of Israeli claims of sovereignty over the holy city, despite the unresolved status of Jerusalem under international law.
At the 2024 Academy Awards, a number of attendees, including Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali, wore red pins in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, and pro-Palestine protesters delayed the start of the ceremonies.
As he accepted his award, “No Other Land” director Yuval Abraham called out “the foreign policy” of the U.S. for “helping to block” a path to peace.
Even though a film like “No Other Land” addresses a topic of clear interest to many Americans, I wonder if the quest to find a U.S. distributor just got even harder.
This article has been updated to clarify that the film was a collaborative effort between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers. It has also been updated to reflect the film’s win at the 2025 Academy Awards.
Drew Paul, Associate Professor of Arabic, University of Tennessee
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
documentaries
Vision Films Acquires Jeff Bridges–Narrated Doc “In The Company of Wolves” Ahead of Cannes Premiere
Vision Films acquires In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey, Susan Kucera’s new documentary narrated by Jeff Bridges, premiering at Cannes May 15, with a limited theatrical and TVOD release July 17, 2026.
Vision Films has picked up In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey, an environmental documentary narrated by Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges and directed by award-winning filmmaker Susan Kucera. The film is set to debut at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 15 at the Olympia Theater, with a limited theatrical rollout and transactional VOD release to follow on July 17, 2026.
A nature documentary that reframes American history
Rather than treating wolves as a backdrop to frontier mythology, In The Company of Wolves positions them—and other animals—as co-travelers through the American story. The documentary traces a sweeping timeline from the shores of England to the birth of the New Republic and into the colonization of the modern American West, exploring how the nation’s evolving relationship with wolves shaped folklore, identity, and the idea of “nationhood” itself.
Kucera describes the project as a shift in perspective: “I think this film stands apart because it reframes the American mythos—moving beyond human ambition to the deeper relationships that shaped the land, and in turn, the nation itself.”
A third collaboration for Kucera and Bridges
The documentary marks the third collaboration between Kucera and Bridges, following previous environmental projects including Living in the Future’s Past. Vision Films CEO and Managing Director Lise Romanoff said the company is “proud to partner with Susan Kucera again” and called the film “a spectacular visual journey and a reminder of the need to respect and preserve our planet’s ecosystem.”
Bridges, whose voice anchors the film’s historical and ecological throughline, added that the story “reminds us that the wild and the domesticated have always reflected the deeper story of who we are as a nation — and who we might yet become.” According to the release, Bridges is also using his compensation to support multiple conservation organizations, including The Vital Ground Foundation, which protects and connects wildlife habitat in the Northern Rocky Mountains.
Voices, experts, and an evocative score
The film features commentary from members of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and Crow Nation, alongside historians and authors who have shaped public understanding of wolves and the American West. Participants named in the announcement include:
- Michelle Paver, best-selling author of the Wolf Brothers series (over 3 million copies sold worldwide)
- David Quammen, science writer (Outside, National Geographic)
- Professor Jon Coleman (University of Notre Dame), author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America
- Cristina Eisenberg, Native American ecologist and author
- Jason Baldes, Eastern Shoshone conservationist (Intertribal Buffalo Council, Conservation Lands Foundation)
- Cameron Krebs, fourth-generation sheep rancher
Adding to the film’s atmosphere is an original score by Keefus Ciancia, whose credits include True Detective.
Release plan: Cannes first, then theaters and TVOD
For audiences tracking Cannes premieres and documentary acquisitions, the release plan is straightforward:
- Cannes Film Festival premiere: May 15, 2026 (Olympia Theater)
- Limited theatrical release + TVOD: July 17, 2026
For updates, the filmmakers point viewers to the official site: inthecompanyofwolvesfilm.com.
About the companies behind the release
Vision Films is an independent sales and VOD aggregator with a catalog of more than 800 features, documentaries, and series, releasing 2–4 films per month across theatrical, VOD, DVD, and television.
Rangeland Productions, founded by producer Jim Swift, focuses on documentaries and independent films and has previously produced and executive produced projects with Kucera, including Living in the Future’s Past, Breath of Life, and Hot Money.
What to watch for
With its Cannes debut and Jeff Bridges’ continued presence in environmental storytelling, In The Company of Wolves: An American Journey is positioned to land at the intersection of prestige documentary, American history, and conservation cinema—an increasingly crowded space where voice, point of view, and cultural framing matter as much as the visuals.
Related Links
Source: Vision Films
Entertainment
Sharpie and Elmer’s Go “To Infinity and Beyond” With a Limited-Edition Toy Story 5 Collection
Sharpie and Elmer’s unveil a limited-edition Toy Story 5 collection—markers, S-Note highlighters, glue sticks, and slime kits—ahead of the film’s June 19 debut.
Sharpie and Elmer’s Launch Limited-Edition Toy Story 5 Collection
If your summer plans include crafts at the kitchen table, labeling school supplies before the first bell, or simply chasing a hit of nostalgia, Sharpie® and Elmer’s® just dropped something that checks every box. Ahead of Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 theatrical debut on June 19, 2026, the Newell Brands staples are launching a limited-edition lineup inspired by the film’s iconic characters, colors, and “let’s make something” energy.
The idea is simple: take the everyday tools people already trust—markers, highlighters, glue sticks, and slime kits—and give them a Toy Story glow-up that feels equally giftable and useful. It’s designed for kids discovering the franchise for the first time and adults who grew up with Woody, Buzz, and Jessie.
What’s in the limited-edition collection?
The collection is rolling out nationwide at major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Target, timed for peak summer crafting and back-to-school shopping.
The Sharpie side
- Sharpie Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 Permanent Markers Collectible packs featuring Toy Story 5character artwork and limited-edition barrel designs with the official film logo printed on each marker. The set leans into bold, film-inspired colors—think Buzz Lightyear greens and purples—built for everything from labeling supplies to character-inspired doodles.
- Sharpie Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 S-Note Creative Highlighters A vivid, high-contrast set with a versatile chisel tip for both highlighting and creative lettering. It’s the kind of tool that makes note-taking feel less like a chore and more like a mini design project.
The Elmer’s side
- Elmer’s Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 Glue Sticks The classic disappearing purple formula—teacher-trusted, kid-safe, and now wrapped in Toy Story 5 character designs for a little extra fun in the supply bin.
- Elmer’s Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 Slime Kits DIY slime kits with themed glue colors, activators, and “out-of-this-world” textures and scents. Each kit is built to be an all-in-one experience: mix, customize, and take your slime creations “to infinity and beyond.”
Why this collab makes sense (and why it’ll sell)
Sharpie and Elmer’s are already part of the creative routine for a lot of households—school projects, office organization, crafts, and rainy-day activities. Newell Brands’ Kris Malkoski framed the partnership as a way to celebrate creativity in a moment that feels “nostalgic and fresh,” especially as families shift into summer mode and start prepping for the school year.
Disney echoed that creative angle too, with Lylle Breier (EVP, Partnerships Promotions and Special Events) calling Toy Story 5 a celebration of storytelling—and positioning the collection as a way for fans to express their imagination through hands-on making.
A :30 spot ties it into the movie’s marketing push
This isn’t just packaging and product placement. Sharpie and Elmer’s also collaborated with Disney and Pixar on a bespoke 30-second ad showing the collection in use, created to support the film’s theatrical marketing campaign. Translation: expect to see this collaboration show up where Toy Story 5 hype already lives.
Availability and pricing snapshot
The collection will be available in multiple pack sizes for different needs in and out of the classroom:
- Sharpie Toy Story 5 Fine Permanent Markers: 5ct (coming soon to Target.com); 12ct (coming soon to Walmart); 24ct (available now on Amazon) — MSRP: $4.99–$19.99
- Sharpie Toy Story 5 S-Note Highlighters: 12ct, 24ct — MSRP: $9.99–$19.99
- Elmer’s Toy Story 5 Glue Sticks: 4ct, 12ct — MSRP: $3.47–$7.49
- Elmer’s Toy Story 5 Slime Kits: 4pc, 10pc — MSRP: $19.99–$29.99
For shoppers, the timing is the point: the products are positioned as easy add-ons for summer gifting, creative downtime, and back-to-school lists—right before the movie hits theaters.
Quick Toy Story 5 refresher: “Toy meets Tech”
Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 brings the gang back with a new twist: “Toy meets Tech.” Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and friends face a new challenge when Bonnie gets Lilypad, a tablet device voiced by Greta Lee, with her own ideas about what playtime should look like.
The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, produced by Lindsey Collins, and written by Stanton and Harris. Randy Newman returns with an original score—his fifth Toy Story feature.
The takeaway
Whether you’re a parent building a summer activity stash, a teacher restocking for fall, or a longtime fan who wants a small collectible piece of the franchise, the Sharpie and Elmer’s Toy Story 5 collection is built to be both practical and fun. It’s a smart, seasonal collaboration that turns routine supplies into something you’ll actually want to pick up—and maybe even keep.
If you’re shopping, look for the limited-edition collection at Amazon, Walmart, and Target ahead of Toy Story 5’s June 19, 2026 release.
Related Links
- Amazon (search/product landing for the collection): https://www.amazon.com
- Walmart (search/product landing for the collection): https://www.walmart.com
- Target (search/product landing for the collection): https://www.target.com
Brand / official info links
- Newell Brands (company info / press): https://www.newellbrands.com
- Elmer’s official site: https://www.elmers.com
About the Movie
- Disney (official studio hub): https://www.disney.com
- Pixar (official studio hub): https://www.pixar.com
STM Daily News’ Entertainment section delivers the latest on movies, television, music, pop culture, events, and industry buzz. From breaking news and trending stories to feature coverage and community-centered entertainment reporting, it keeps readers connected to what’s happening on screen, on stage, and beyond.
pop culture
May the Fourth: Celebrating National Star Wars Day | Fun Facts & Festivities
National Star Wars Day, also known as May the Fourth, is a celebration of the Star Wars franchise that takes place annually on May 4th.
Last Updated on May 4, 2026 by Daily News Staff
National Star Wars Day, also known as May the Fourth, is a celebration of the Star Wars franchise that takes place annually on May 4th. The day is filled with festivities such as costume contests, trivia games, and movie marathons. Fans of the series can dress up like their favorite characters, watch their favorite movies, and make outer space snacks.
The phrase “May the Fourth Be with You” was first introduced by the Conservative Party in the UK in 1979 to congratulate Margaret Thatcher on becoming the first female Prime Minister. Since then, the phrase has become synonymous with Star Wars Day and is used by fans around the world to greet each other on this special day.
National Star Wars Day was first organized in Toronto, Canada, in 2011, and has since become a worldwide phenomenon. Fans of all ages come together to celebrate their love for the franchise and to honor its creator, George Lucas.
Whether you’re a hardcore fan or just a casual admirer, National Star Wars Day is a day to let loose and have some fun. May the Fourth be with you!
National Star Wars Day
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/?s=Star+Wars+Day
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