Lyd – REVIEW
Image: LYD. film still
Lyd is a haunting and unusual documentary, comprising various styles to tell the story of the once beautiful ancient city of Lyd and its gradual devastation under Israeli settlement.
Lyd is located in what is now central Israel, about 15km south of Tel Aviv, and it is called Lod by Israelis. Its origin as a city dates back millenia and it has alternately been occupied by Jews, Romans, and Arabs.
The 1947 UN partition plan for Palestine had drawn the boundary to include Lyd as Palestinian territory, however in 1948 Israeli forces seized the city along with a great deal more land around it. They killed or expelled thousands of Palestinians, leaving a very small minority who still live there today under hardship.
This documentary takes us through the history of Lyd, using CGI and historical notes to re-build the city as accurately as possible. Lyd itself speaks to us through the voice of actress, Maisa Abd Elhadi, telling us proudly how beautiful and famous it once was.
The film also incorporates animation sequences, surreal imagery, interviews with current residents and elements of sci-fi to create a visual and emotional collage that helps convey the many complex dynamics of a monumental city torn to pieces.
