House of Hope | OFFICIAL TRAILER | A film by Marjolein Busstra

An intimate film about Manar, a Palestinian woman running a pacifist Waldorf school in the occupied West Bank, together with her husband Milad. In the midst of a genocide and amid escalating violence, stress, and uncertainty, they continue to provide a safe haven for young children - a space where hope is taught, not as abstraction, but as daily acts of courage.

Dutch director Marjolein Busstra met Manar for the first time in the West Bank in 2008. What began as a friendship slowly grew into a film - a portrait born out of deep trust. In 2022, Busstra decided to turn her camera towards her friend. Not to make a statement, but to listen - to witness how Manar continues to nurture hope, resilience and connection amid escalating violence under Israeli occupation.

“Palestinians are so much more than what we see in the news or mainstream outlets” says co-producer May Jabareen from Philistine Films. Filmed in close collaboration with a Palestinian crew, and featuring cinematography by Abu Mosab, a Dutch-Palestinian D.o.P., this film has always been guided by the principle that Palestinian voices and perspectives belong not just in front of the camera, but behind it, too.

HOUSE OF HOPE is the name of the Waldorf school in Al-Eizariya, a town in the occupied West Bank near Jerusalem, founded by Manar and her husband Milad. An elementary school, based on the Waldorf educational philosophy, that embraces non-violent resistance while supporting children in healing from trauma. Manar tries to offer young Palestinian students a safe haven, but she’s finding it increasingly difficult to do so.

Busstra follows Manar and Milad at work as well as at home with their two children over a period of three years. After 7 October 2023, tensions rise steadily inside and outside the home of the idealistic couple. The director’s photos, as well as phone recordings by Manar, supplement their story.

Without security or dignity, life is suffocating, says Manar. She has spent her entire life under Israeli occupation, but the increasing violence and the accompanying stress are taking their toll. Yet the school remains open…and the children sing about peace.
A Wondermaker Labs Production

A film by Marjolein Busstra
2025 © Licensed by First Hand Films