Mayor
Feature length film Completed 2020
Director
David Osit
Producer
David Osit
Doc Society helped with
Production
MAYOR is a real-life political saga following Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, during his second term in office. His immediate goals: repave the sidewalks, attract more tourism, and plan the city’s Christmas celebrations. His ultimate mission: to end the occupation of Palestine.
Made over two years, the film follows charismatic yet beleaguered Mayor Hadid as he tirelessly tends to his hometown during one of the most tumultuous times in Palestine’s history. MAYOR offers a portrait of dignity amidst the madness and absurdity of endless occupation, while posing a question: how do you run a city when you don’t have a country?
Crew
Luckily, Osit knew precisely what to do with the extraordinary material he captured.
Washington Post
Dec. 2, 2020
A disarming subject, Hadid comes across as a cleareyed, forthright leader. But "Mayor" also stands out because Osit has thought it through in cinematic terms...
New York Times
Dec. 2, 2020
More background on Hadid's earlier life and political ascendance would have also been welcome. Still, "Mayor" proves a unique, involving and edifying experience.
Los Angeles Times
Dec. 1, 2020
It's an acutely observed you-are-there procedural about a modern metropolis that dares to exist, even thrive amid the enduring repercussions of 1967's Six-Day War, when Israel occupied the region.
Variety
March 18, 2020
Smart, yet somewhat one-sided and process-orientated portrait of a man and his municipality.
Little White Lies
Jan. 4, 2021
In its gently ironic way, the film depicts an urban centre keen to be treated, and run, as a genuine place to live, a town like any other.
Daily Telegraph (UK)
Jan. 4, 2021
The film lets you appreciate Hadid's delicate and complex situation.
Guardian
Dec. 29, 2020
The documentary, to me, seemed to be balanced and observational.
Kermode & Mayo's Film Review
Dec. 30, 2020
While understated and deeply personal, Mayor cannot avoid the current conflagration in the region.
Austin Chronicle
Dec. 12, 2020
