Firefighters Under Occupation

Firefighters Under Occupation offers a firefighter’s perspective on occupation, struggle, fear and hope, taking you on a journey from Dundee to Palestine. The military occupation of Palestine by the State of Israel is a subject that has resulted in many commentaries, films and artworks depicting the plight of Palestinians. This new film sensitively documents the lives and work of the Palestinian firefighters who work in the occupied West Bank.

An inherently dangerous job in any country, those tasked with firefighting in Palestine face two challenges: fire and the Israeli Occupation Forces. Directed by Welsh Firefighter and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) member Ciaran Gibbons, Firefighters Under Occupation documents the humanitarian support given to Palestinian firefighters by The FBU as well as the facilitation of training here in Scotland and the long standing bond between Dundee and its twin town of Nablus.

Accompanied by Dundee-based FBU facilitator Jim Malone, Gibbons travelled to Palestine and Israel in 2015 to document the upsurge in violence in the country, visiting Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem and flashpoint Hebron, interviewing and meeting Palestinian firefighters and their families and discussing how Israeli firefighters found a mutual respect with the FBU in Scotland.

This event is free and has been organised by the Dundee/Nablus Twinning Association. Donations to The Fire Brigades Union Scotland will be welcomed on the door.