Between April and October 2024, the "Docummunity" project brought together five groups from communities in the Western Negev to embark on a transformative journey guided by five southern-based filmmakers. This innovative initiative combined cinema and videotherapy, utilizing the Videosense® model to empower communities to tell their stories, create social impact, and amplify voices and narratives often overlooked by mainstream media.
The result of this collaboration is five short documentaries that portray the Iron Sword War through the eyes of the communities themselves:
Sderot – A film featuring social workers from the city's welfare department, highlighting their dual roles as caregivers for the city's residents during the war, while also navigating their personal lives as mothers and residents.
Ofakim – A film created with youth from the Mishor Hagefen neighborhood, documenting their activist efforts to reclaim their community’s narrative and oppose organized tours that exploit their stories.
Kibbutz Gevim – A film chronicling the experiences of kibbutz members as they return home after a prolonged evacuation to Kibbutz Mizra.
Netivot – A film following the youth band of Netivot, which continues to create music as a form of resilience and healing after losing one of its vocalists, Amit Mann, in the attack on Be'eri.
Sdot Negev Regional Council – A film portraying the lives of young boys who live near the site of burnt cars in the aftermath of the war, striving to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst ongoing conflict.
This project not only documents the realities of war but also serves as a testament to the resilience and creativity of these communities, ensuring their stories are seen and heard.