Stranger at Home

In order to realize this film Van den Berg had to persuade his Palestinian friend Kamal Boullata to return to his birthtown Jerusalem. At that time, Boullata had already been living 'in exile' in the United States for fourteen years. Initially, he shrinks from a reunion with his former place of residence. Doubt is put into his mind by the fear of his illusions being disturbed. Originally, Van den Berg wanted to make a film about Kamal, a Palestinian who is returning to his birthplace after years. In the end the film has become a personal confrontation between the filmmaker and his friend, more than a registration of events. Against the background of the Middle East conflict diverging opinions develop between the two. Due to the confrontation with each other's historical rights, the differences between their interpretations - as a Palestinian and as a Jew - crystallize more and more. Therefore, STRANGER AT HOME has turned out to be primarily a documentary that shows the effect a historical conflict has on two people.