On August 29th, 1969, Leila Khaled made history when she took control of TWA Flight 840 and became the first woman to hijack an airplane. With two hand grenades taped to her waist, and a handgun tucked inside her unmentionables, not only did her terroristic act bring media attention to the plight of the Palestinians, but it inadvertently made her the poster child for terrorism.
The most infamous picture of Leila is one in which she is seen brandishing a Kalashnikov, looking off into the distance, with a brightly colored hajib draped over her head. It’s a drastically different portrait from the one painted in Lina Makboul’s documentary, which sheds light on a woman who has denounced terrorism as a viable form of protest.
The film itself isn’t extremely well done, but it’s interesting in that you rarely, if ever, see a pro-Palestinian movie. I was talking one day with a friend, who happens to be Jewish, and even she somewhat sympathizes with the Palestinian cause. But she brought up a good point: No one really supports the Palestinians, and if they do, it’s more of a political act against Israel than it is compassion for the Palestinian cause. So in that sense, it’s refreshing to see a film told from the voice of the Other.
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