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Thousands of Palestinians protested against the high cost of living in the West Bank city of Hebron this past Monday, angry over rising prices and the government’s inability to pay full salaries. Much of the rage is directed at Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, whom Lebanon’s Daily Star describes as “a U.S.-educated economist who oversees the government’s finances.” The high cost of living was a central point at this past week’s cabinet meeting chaired by Fayyad who says the troubles are beyond his control and has offered to roll back planned tax increases as a concession.

A new United Nations report last week links the high level of Palestinian poverty to Israeli policies, and the recent cutting off of international aid by other nations in solidarity with Israel.

A new documentary collaboration between Palestinian film maker Emad Burnat and Israeli film maker Guy Davidi, documents the day-to-day effects of the Israeli occupation, specifically in the West Bank village of Bil’in. It tells the story through the lens of a series of video cameras and the youthful eyes of Emad Burnat’s newborn son Gibreel.

The eye-opening and powerful documentary filmed through five cameras that end up destroyed under various dangerous circumstances is called simply “Five Broken Cameras,” and opens at the Laemmle theaters this week.

Emad Burnat begins the film by following the non-violent struggles led by two of his friends. But the subsequent events begin to affect his family and his own life as he witnesses and documents daily arrests, violent attacks, night raids, the burning of his family’s olive trees, and the excessive use of Israeli military force. The footage depicts an unsettlingly realistic perspective of the violence in Bil’in, where active protests take place daily and the Israeli occupation continues to consolidate control.

GUESTS: Guy Davidi, Co-Director of Five Broken Cameras

Five Broken Cameras opens at the Monica Four-Plex on September 14th.