What is Hurdle?

Hurdle is a documentary film about resilience, self-determination and creativity in the face of the most harrowing odds. From brotherhood and faith to gunshot wounds and arrests, we were there to document the everyday reality of our characters. The result will be a film with amazing access, stunning visuals and a profound story.

Why is Hurdle Important?

In a tense and sometimes violent conflict environment, Hurdle reveals the depth and layers of its young Muslim Palestinian characters. The film will help a diverse audience connect on a human level with a community that is often misunderstood in the mainstream narrative.

What is our timeline?

Hurdle has been in the making for almost three years! We shot the film from November 2016 - December 2017 in Palestinian East Jerusalem and the Occupied West Bank. Over the course of this dramatic year, our team documented the lives of young men living on both sides of the Israeli separation wall as they led their community in creative response to injustices. 

How you can help:

As our early-2019 debut approaches, we're working on all of the details to help get this important film seen by as many people as possible. 

Your support will go directly towards building a larger international audience for Hurdle - creating a global and meaningful impact on the conversation of Palestinian’s rights. We’re humbly asking for your help to make sure that this powerful film reaches as many eyes and ears as possible.

From international film festivals to community screenings, movie theaters, and televisions around the world, once a film is completed there are a lot of costs associated with distributing it and we’re asking for you to join our team and support.

In addition, part of the funds will go towards hosting screenings of Hurdle in the Palestinian West Bank and East Jerusalem. We are incredibly excited to show the inspiring heroes of Hurdle on the big screen right in the middle of their community - inspiring hope and resilience in the face of daily struggles.

10% of all funds raised will go directly to support the Jerusalem Parkour Team and the Aida Refugee Camp Lajee Center.

As an independent film, we have relied exclusively on donations, non-profit grant support, and crowdfunding to cover all of the expenses that have come with directing, producing, and distributing this feature-length documentary film. We are so humbled and grateful to our grassroots community for supporting this project so far - and we are continuing to trust you to help us successfully fund this campaign.

Please, check out our rewards and consider making a donation for Hurdle today!

Responses:

"Even though it was 90 minutes long, I didn't want it to end."

Michael Rowley - Director/Producer
Michael is an emerging documentary filmmaker who has worked in the commercial film industry for nearly a decade. Founding the film production company Fold Studios in 2012, Rowley has demonstrated the ability to apply his technical skill and honest approach to transform challenging subject matter into impactful narratives. The result has been partnerships with NGO’s focused on conflict resolution, Grammy-Nominated artists and human rights organizations with international impact. Hurdle will be his documentary feature directorial debut.

Remoy Philip - Producer
Remoy Philip is an editorial journalist and creative producer. His work has taken him around the globe telling stories of underserved and marginalized people groups, resulting in humanization and audience activism.

Andrew Brown - Producer
Andrew Brown is a marketing and business professional with a decade of experience in international development and startups. He is the winner of 7 Telly awards for his work as a director and producer. Brown’s educational background is in digital media and he holds a masters degree in business.

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