What has decades and decades of military occupation and ethnic cleansing done to the Palestinian people? How has the trauma of displacement, dispossession, and killing passed from one generation to the next? And in what ways has that struggle changed over time? If you’re looking for an answer to any of these questions, this film is where you’ll find it.
Showing at a theater near you starting this Friday is ‘All That’s Left of You,’ Jordan’s official submission for the 98th Academy Awards. Ahead of its release, Mehdi interviews the film’s Emmy-nominated director and actor, Cherien Dabis, and its executive producer, Academy Award winner (and former Bond villain!) Javier Bardem, to discuss the making and release of the film - and the very real politics behind it all!
“What is taking place in the last two years is a full genocide,” says Bardem, who has reportedly been placed on a “black list” by Paramount as a result of his activism for Palestine. “Studios and directors, producers, they know that they cannot support people that are supporting such atrocities.” Bardem tells Mehdi he “can’t imagine” telling a story as personal as the one depicted in the movie. The outspoken Hollywood star also has some choice words for the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC.
“I wanted to show the psychological and emotional impact of occupation,” Dabis says about her film, which explores the trauma of Israel’s occupation of the people of Palestine across generations. Despite winning multiple awards and receiving an overwhelmingly positive reception, the film has still faced massive challenges in distribution as production houses are “afraid of the subject matter,” according to Dabis.
Mehdi also spoke to Bardem and Dabis about their own approaches to the struggle for Palestinian freedom, their reactions to some of the most shocking scenes in the film, and the pernicious effects of pro-Israel censorship in Hollywood and beyond.
Paid subscribers can watch the full interview above. Free subscribers can watch a four-minute preview. Consider becoming a paid subscriber to Zeteo to gain full access to all of our content, without any paywalls.
DON’T MISS:
A special LIVE in-person event: Join Mehdi, Swin, Joy Reid, Jim Acosta, Sarah Matthews, Miles Taylor, and another special guest tbc for a powerful evening at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026!
