Muhi: Generally Temporary

Muhi, short for Muhammad, is born in Gaza with a fatal disease. He is rushed to an Israeli hospital, where the doctors has to amputate both his arms and legs to save his life. For Muhi, the hospital becomes both a home and a prison. Too weak to travel, he is trapped in a sterile environment where his only company is his grandfather Abu Naim, who looks after him. Abu Naim is a non-resident and cannot leave the hospital area without breaking the law, and for Muhi's mother it is virtually impossible to visit them from Gaza.

This documentary's greatest strength is that it brings forth the paradoxes in the Israel-Palestine conflict. In addition, it is a wonderful portrait of an incredible boy who is a prisoner in the life-saving hospital. Is he among friends or enemies? It's not always easy to know for Muhi, but he refuses to give up even though life has given him a tough burden to carry.

Rina Castelnuovo-Hollander is an Israeli photographer who has worked for the New York Times in Jerusalem for 23 years. Tamir Elterman is a documentary director educated at the University of Berkeley in California, and lives in Tel Aviv where he produces short documentaries and digital journalism. Muhi – Generally Temporary is their first documentary film.