The 1957 Transcripts

On 29 October 1956, 49 residents of the Palestinian village of Kafr Qasim were murdered in cold blood by soldiers of the Israeli Border Police. The victims were men and women returning from their work in the fields outside the village, as well as children. They were killed because they were unaware that the curfew had unexpectedly been brought forward by an hour on that day. As they returned home, they were mowed down without mercy.

The 1957 Transcripts unravels the background, execution and consequences of the massacre. It features the testimonies of survivors, historians and the journalist who brought the massacre to light three days later, and includes a re-enactment of the military trial of 11 of the soldiers involved.

The reconstruction is based on recently released transcripts of the trial. In court, the soldiers said they were only following the orders of their superiors (“carrying out the order required killing”). Moreover, the film also reveals a political plan of ethnic cleansing. The outcome of the trial is shocking to anyone who believes in justice.