Dir. Jumana Manna, 2022, 64 min.

Employing a mix of fictional scenes alongside documentary and archival footage, Palestinian artist and filmmaker Jumana Manna’s latest film examines the Palestinian tradition of foraging wild za’atar and ‘akoub in the face of the Israeli Nature Protection Authority’s ban on picking the plants they deem endangered. Foragers wryly captures the Palestinians’ struggle to preserve their traditions alongside their resilience to the prohibitive law.

Followed by a conversation with filmmaker Jumana Manna and Dr. Nour Joudah, Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies, University of California.

Presented by Penn Museum and cosponsored by Penn’s Center for Experimental Ethnography, Cinema & Media Studies Department, Middle East Center, Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, Program in the Environmental Humanities, and Wolf Humanities Center; and Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture.

Event followed by a reception featuring tea and a za’atar and olive oil tasting.