For years, there was a dump in the heart of the Ganim neighborhood in Jerusalem. It was an eyesore for its residents and a paradise for local junkies. Until one day, eight years ago, local “greens”, an archaeologist and a few visionaries, got together and began to clean up the dump. Soon, an area rich in antiquities was exposed, and the cleanup operation developed into an idea of community excavations. The people themselves wanted to excavate the area and then turn it into a public park that would revive the ancient terraces and wine presses hidden beneath the layers of history and dirt. Working together, they wanted to create a sense of community and turn their battered neighbourhood into a better place to live.
Shot in cinema verite style, the film follows local residents digging up the past of their neighbourhood, which goes back 2.700 years. Hard work, excited discoveries and curious interactions between the veteran residents and recent immigrants from Ethiopia create a colourful mosaic of a summer spent at community excavations. Two archaeologists help the residents to understand their finds and the rich past of the place they live in. A community activist working with them wants to turn the archaeological site into a lively community space, so that the residents could enjoy it also after the dig is over.
- Direction: NATASHA DUDINSKI
- Production: NATASHA DUDINSKI
