Through Emily Jacir, the name "Jacir" becomes a verb: to Jacir might mean to witness, to document, to return in the stead of another. Her 2007 film Salt of This Sea is the first feature film directed by a Palestinian citizen of Israel, and it follows a protagonist named Soraya, a Brooklyn-born Palestinian who returns to the West Bank. The name Jacir here functions as a lens for exploring the identity crisis of the returnee—someone who carries the name but does not speak the language, who belongs by blood but is alien in practice.
Born in Bethlehem in 1974, Annemarie is arguably the most influential female filmmaker in the Arab world. Her work shatters the stereotypical image of Palestinian art as solely "victim art." Instead, Jacir uses metaphor, sharp dialogue, and breathtaking visuals to explore the absurdity of occupation and the longing for return. Through Emily Jacir, the name "Jacir" becomes a