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Habibi

Habibi

Habibi è la cronaca di una storia d’amore ambientata in uno dei più lunghi e complicati conflitti contemporanei, la guerra israelo-palestinese.

Le mogli dei prigionieri palestinesi si sono rivolte al contrabbando di sperma per concepire figli dai loro mariti che stanno scontando lunghe pene nelle prigioni israeliane. Circa 7.000 palestinesi sono detenuti, e quasi 1.000 affrontano pene di 20 anni o più.

Negli ultimi 7 anni, secondo l’ospedale Razan di Nablus che fornisce trattamenti di fecondazione in vitro in Cisgiordania, sono nati circa 100 bambini. Questi trattamenti sono offerti gratuitamente a queste donne perché i loro mariti sono considerati dalla collettività come martiri viventi che hanno rinunciato alla loro libertà per la patria.

Le visite coniugali sono negate e i prigionieri palestinesi possono vedere i loro familiari più stretti attraverso una finestra di vetro. Il contatto fisico è proibito, eccetto per i figli dei prigionieri che hanno meno di 6 anni, ai quali sono concessi 10 minuti alla fine di ogni visita per abbracciare i loro padri. Con la scusa di fare regali ai loro figli, i prigionieri mettono il loro sperma in tubi di penna vuoti e lo nascondono dentro barrette di cioccolato. Questo è il metodo più comune tra i prigionieri e l’unica speranza per le loro mogli di avere nuovi figli e crescere una famiglia.

La vita di queste donne è sospesa in un’eterna attesa del ritorno dei loro cari. Inoltre, fanno la fecondazione in vitro anche per non arrendersi alla condizione di prigionia dei loro mariti e affrontare con coraggio le difficoltà della vita quotidiana crescendo i loro figli da sole in una zona di guerra.

Questa zona troppo spesso viene mostrata solo come un luogo di guerra e di conflitto, pieno di contrasti, soldati, azioni militari e armi. Habibi, che in arabo significa “il mio amore”, cerca di mostrare l’impatto del conflitto sulle famiglie palestinesi analizzando le difficoltà incontrate nel preservare la loro dignità umana e cercando di capire la realtà nascosta dietro la guerra.

Kobar, Palestine: In Iman Al Barghouti’s bedroom, she hangs the suit of her husband, Nael Al Barghouti, who is the longest-serving prisoner in Israeli custody, having spent 41 years in prison.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Lydia Rimawi (39) lying on her sofa while her son Majd, conceived by IVF, is resting on a couch behind her. Lydia’s husband, Abdel Karim, was arrested in June 2001 and sentenced to 25 years in jail.
Tulkarem, Palestine: A portrait of Atta Abdelgami in his house. He was sentenced to three life terms. He is the husband of Rula Ali Ahmed and they have two children conceived through IVF. It’s quite common to find portraits like this one in Palestinian houses because political prisoners are considered as living martyrs who sacrificed their freedom for the common good.
Jerusalem, Palestine The Israeli separation wall divides the Pisgat Zeev Israeli Settlement, on the left, and the Shuafat Refugee Camp, on the right, near Jerusalem. Palestinians complain of a feeling of being perpetually trapped behind the Israeli dividing wall as if they almost lived in a large open-air prison.
Beit Seira, Palestine: Some of the wives, mothers and children of Palestinian prisoners as they reach the checkpoint on their trip to visit the prison. The support that women give each other along the way is essential. Without it they would not be able to face the innumerable difficulties they encounter on the road.
Bethlehem, Palestine. One of the methods that prisoners use to let out sperm out of prison is to add it in a pen and put it in a snack of chocolate that they give to the children in the meetings that are allowed.
Nablus, Palestine: Remah Bauod with her daughter Racha conceived through IVF and born a few hours earlier at Razan fertility clinic in Nablus. Her husband, Usama, was sentenced for 4 life sentences plus 50 years.
Gaza City, Palestine: An infant, conceived a few hours earlier, inside an incubator at Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital. These children face innumerable difficulties f birth and in growing up in a contested territory full of contrasts.
Bethlehem, palestine. An overview of the dividing wall between Palestine and Israel.
Bethlehem, Palestine: A curtain blows in the wind in the house of Hanadi Moussa Moghrabi (37). She has twins, Nour and Sondus (3) conceived through IVF. Her husband Ahmed (42) was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 11 life sentences on charges of being the local head of “Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades” during the Second Intifada.
Tulkarem, Palestine: Amma Elian is the wife of Anwa. He was arrested in 2003 and sentenced to life imprisonment. They have twins conceived through IVF. Initially, Palestinian families were afraid to declare that they had done IVF. But, in 2017, The Palestinian Supreme Fatwa Council issued an edict permitting it for men with long sentences. Now, a greater degree of openness exists for those who have had children by IVF.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Majd Rimawi (4) plays hide and seek in his house. He is the son of Lydia (39) and Abdel Karim (45) who was arrested since June 2001 and sentenced to 25 years for involvement in the 2001 murder of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi.
Bethlehem, Palestine: Hanadi Moussa Moghrabi with her twins, Nour and Sondus, conceived through IVF, in their home. Her husband Ahmed was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 11 life terms, on charges of being the local head of “Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades” during the Second Intifada. Prisoner’s portraits are displayed in all to prisoner’s houses.
Abu Dis, Palestine: A heart-shaped medallion made by a prisoner for his daughter. This and many other objects are kept in the “Abu Jihad Museum for Prisoner Movement Affairs,” located on the campus of Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, just outside Jerusalem in the West Bank.
Beit Rima, Palestine: A portrait of Mazen Rimawi. He is a former Palestinian political prisoner, brother of Lydia Rimawi and uncle of Majd, who was conceived through in vitro fermentation. His brother-in-law, Abdel Karim, was arrested since June 2001 and sentenced to 25 years.
Jericho, Palestine. Rafeef Ka’abneh (4) in her garden, she was conceived through IVF. Her father (49) was sentenced to two life sentences.
Ramallah, Palestine: A large image of Yasser Arafat in the fog at Al Manara square.
Beit Seira, Palestine: Lydia Rimawi with her son Majd, who was conceived through IVF, during their journey to reach the prison to visit her husband. To reach the prison, she leaves home at 5:00am, takes a taxi and two buses to the Israeli checkpoint, where she crosses on foot. From there, she takes a third bus to the prison gate. After several controls, she’ll meet her husband for 45 minutes. The long journey, there and back, can take up to 18 hours for a visit that lasts only 45 minutes.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Majd playing on his cell phone in his sister Rand’s bedroom. Children who are less than six years old, are allowed 10 minutes at the end of each visit to embrace their fathers. This year, Majd turned six and can no longer embrace his father but can only see him through a glass barrier. He was very sad sad that he could no longer meet his father.
Saffa, Palestine: A field of olive trees in the Palestinian territory mixes with the light coming over the wall from Israel.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Mazen Rimawi’s shadow reflected on a curtain in the house of his brother-in-law Abdel Karim and Majd’s uncle.
A cardboard boat, made by a prisoner, floats on the Dead Sea. It is common among inmates to make handmade items to donate to their loved ones during family visits to prison. These small gestures of affection help prisoners and families feel closer and overcome sadness and loneliness.
Ramallah, Palestine: Manwa Shaheen is the wife of Ahmad who was arrested in 2001 and sentenced to 22 years in prison. They have a son Ali conceived through IVF Manwa already lost another child conceived through IVF. But in the future she would like to try again to do in vitro fertilization because she also wants to have a daughter.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Majd, conceived by IVF, walks in the rain with a cardboard box covering his head. During a downpour Majd found the box on the street and used it for shelter.
Jericho, Palestine: A portrait of a Palestinian woman, who works for the Prisoner’s club, waving a Palestinian flag. The Prisoner’s club is a non-governmental organization that support Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails and helps support their families.
Beit Rima, Palestine: Majd, conceived by IVF, riding his bicycle in front of his house. Majd’s father, Abdel Karim, was arrested in June 2001 and sentenced to 25 years in jail.
Ramallah, Palestine: Birds flee at the sound of gunshots. During one of the protests that take place every Friday, Israeli soldiers fired some tear gas and gunshots to disperse the Palestinian protesters.
Beit Rima, Palestine: A chair lit by LEDs during the night of the full moon
Bethlehem, Palestine: Sondus, conceived through IVF, playing on a sofa in the house of her father Ahmed Moghrabi, who was arrested in 2002 and sentenced to 11 life sentences on charges of being the local head of “Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades” during the Second Intifada.
Beit Rima, Palestine: An old television no longer picks up a signal, evoking the failure of communication between Palestinians and Israelis.

Biografia

Antonio Faccilongo è un fotografo documentarista e filmmaker italiano, docente di fotografia all’Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma ed è rappresentato da Getty Reportage.

Dopo la laurea in scienze della comunicazione e un master in fotogiornalismo, ha focalizzato la sua attenzione sull’Asia e il Medio Oriente, principalmente in Israele e Palestina, occupandosi di questioni sociali, politiche e culturali.

Documentando le conseguenze del conflitto israelo-palestinese in Cisgiordania e nella Striscia di Gaza, ha cercato di svelare ed evidenziare le questioni umanitarie nascoste in uno dei conflitti più denunciati al mondo, perché troppo spesso viene mostrato solo come un luogo di guerra e conflitto.

I suoi progetti a lungo termine sulle donne e le loro famiglie in Palestina hanno ricevuto diversi premi e borse di studio tra cui World Press Photo story of the year 2021, World Press Photo nella categoria progetti a lungo termine, FotoEvidence Book Award con World Press Photo, Getty editorial grant, National Geographic Society Covid-19 Emergency Fund 2021, 1° premio World Understanding Award al POYi Pictures of the year International, Miglior documentario a colori al Gomma Grant, 1° premio al LuganoPhotoDays, 1° premio all’Umbria World Fest, 1° premio al Kuala Lumpur Photo Awards, 2° premio al PhMuseum ed è stato finalista al Visa D’or feature, al premio Lucas Dolega e nella shortlist della Fondazione Alexia.

Inoltre i suoi progetti a lungo termine sono stati esposti a livello internazionale in numerose mostre e festival tra cui World Press Photo Festival, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Zoom Festival, Festival della fotografia etica, PHmuseum online photobook festival, Buenos Aires Biennial, proiettato al Visa pour l’image Perpignan ed è stato incluso nella campagna globale #WomenMatter contro la violenza sulle donne fatta da Dysturb.

I suoi lavori e incarichi sono stati pubblicati in alcune delle più importanti pubblicazioni internazionali tra cui National Geographic, Time, Stern, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, Geo, The Guardian, 6Mois, Paris Match, Focus, Sette, L’Espresso, Internazionale e molti altri.

https://www.antoniofaccilongo.com/

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