The entire Palestinian crew that worked on the Norwegian documentary Praying for Armageddon has been killed in an Israeli airstrike, according to the film’s director, Tonje Hessen Schei.
In a heart-wrenching statement shared on Facebook, Schei wrote:
“The team we worked with in Gaza for Praying for Armageddon has all been killed. Every single one. So young, brilliant, courageous, and talented filmmakers with dreams and great ambitions for the future. They were trapped, directly targeted, and slaughtered by Israeli bombs, and their office at Ain Media was leveled to the ground. They leave behind newborns, young children, wives, and so many broken hearts. We will not forget you: Roshdi Sarraj, Haitham Abed Alwahed, Mahmoud Sarraj, and Abood Saymah.”
Praying for Armageddon, co-directed by Schei and Michael Rowley, examines the alliance between Christian fundamentalists and U.S. politicians—and the significant influence these religious movements have on American foreign policy, especially regarding Israel.
The film also critically explores the vast private financial support from American evangelical groups to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. These groups believe in the imminent return of Jesus in Jerusalem and see the conflict as a path toward fulfilling apocalyptic prophecies. The documentary features several of these figures, including leaders of the M25 motorcycle evangelists and other high-profile religious leaders.
Parts of the film were shot in occupied Palestinian territories, with the support of the now-deceased Palestinian crew. According to the filmmakers, their help was essential in capturing footage under difficult and dangerous conditions.
The deaths of these four filmmakers mark a tragic loss to both the Palestinian artistic community and international documentary filmmaking.
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