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The Human Windmill
- "The wind and the sun are for all nations given for free by God" (from the film);
- Written & Directed by: Danny Verete
- Produced by: Yehuda Bitton
- Production budget: 250,000 Euro
- Money still required: 100,000 Euro
- Involved financiers: Gesher Multicultural Film Fund, Israel
- Involved broadcasters: Channel 8, Israel; Aljazeera International; TG4-Ireland
Synopsis
A small and determined group of Israelis have been working for years in order to protect, support and rehabilitate a group of disenfranchised Palestinians who were deported from their home – the ancient village of Susia, and are now scattered in the Southern Hebron Hills. In a place where religion, nationalism, racism and politics all mix together, their response is unlimited doing – in the form of an ecological project that creates real friendships and the rare sense of honor and mutual respect. This promotes a sense of awareness and independence for this small group that is struggling for its survival.
What prompted Noam Dotan, 58 to leave his brilliant career as a successful physicist and completely devote himself to this ecological project in the small exiled Palestinian community of Susia now scattered in the Southern Hebron Hills? These residents are separated from their lands, refugees who await further deportation any day. What is this dream, shared by himself and the residents of Susia, which is today coming to fruition? A dream that will utterly change the goat-herding lifestyle of Susia residents; an exciting dream in which electricity -supplied by wind and solar energy - mainly illuminating the dairy which will be just like the ones at the violent Jewish settlements that surround them. This courageous undertaking allows all the tents to be lit, illuminating the possibilities for another way of life.
Three other extraordinary individuals have joined in the dream. Uri Pinkerfeld (84), a hydrologist, Ehud Krinis (42) an historian and Erella Dunayevski (57), a therapist by profession, who oversees the entire operation.
“The Human Windmill” will follow the group as they attempt to harness the wind and the sunlight to create energy as they look for green solutions to solve the very difficult problem of water in the area. They help through action, rather than through protest or demonstrations. Three years in the making, in joint meetings between local residents and the group members, they have created a renewable energy project at Susia. Most importantly, the film will relate the deepest contribution of this project which is educating the next generation of these refugees. And in the meantime there is electricity in Susia and the local dairy will be built and the next generation will finish high school – and the small Palestinian community of Susia will survive with dignity. All of this with the support of this small group who have succeeded in supplying electricity for residents living in tents and caves, figuratively and literally lighting up their lives.
What prompted Noam Dotan, 58 to leave his brilliant career as a successful physicist and completely devote himself to this ecological project in the small exiled Palestinian community of Susia now scattered in the Southern Hebron Hills? These residents are separated from their lands, refugees who await further deportation any day. What is this dream, shared by himself and the residents of Susia, which is today coming to fruition? A dream that will utterly change the goat-herding lifestyle of Susia residents; an exciting dream in which electricity -supplied by wind and solar energy - mainly illuminating the dairy which will be just like the ones at the violent Jewish settlements that surround them. This courageous undertaking allows all the tents to be lit, illuminating the possibilities for another way of life.
Three other extraordinary individuals have joined in the dream. Uri Pinkerfeld (84), a hydrologist, Ehud Krinis (42) an historian and Erella Dunayevski (57), a therapist by profession, who oversees the entire operation.
“The Human Windmill” will follow the group as they attempt to harness the wind and the sunlight to create energy as they look for green solutions to solve the very difficult problem of water in the area. They help through action, rather than through protest or demonstrations. Three years in the making, in joint meetings between local residents and the group members, they have created a renewable energy project at Susia. Most importantly, the film will relate the deepest contribution of this project which is educating the next generation of these refugees. And in the meantime there is electricity in Susia and the local dairy will be built and the next generation will finish high school – and the small Palestinian community of Susia will survive with dignity. All of this with the support of this small group who have succeeded in supplying electricity for residents living in tents and caves, figuratively and literally lighting up their lives.
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