Beirut 1982: from PLO’s Withdrawal to the Sabra and Shatila Massacre (1982, Ryūichi Hirokawa)

After three months of fierce fighting by the Israeli troupes invading Lebanon, the PLO withdrew from Lebanon leaving the Palestinians unprotected. Nevertheless, in this film, we see Palestinian girls and children, who have been left in Lebanese refugee camps, playing amongst debris and hamming it up for the camera, while at the same time being under the constant threat of an unannounced attack. The narration lets the viewer know that the massacre is imminent and the film shows just how vulnerable their lives and daily life there is. The film then shows the scene of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps immediately following the massacre, with the scattered dead bodies of many Palestinians.