Ep 5. 9 Star Hotel

In season 21 episode 5 of POV, viewers are taken on a powerful and thought-provoking journey in the documentary film 9 Star Hotel. The film focuses on the lives of a group of Palestinian construction workers who are living illegally in Israel and resort to building their own shanty homes on the outskirts of Tel Aviv in order to avoid being deported back to their home country.

As the film begins, viewers are introduced to a group of young men who have come to Israel in search of work and a way to provide for their families back home. With no legal way to obtain work visas, they take on dangerous and difficult construction jobs, often working long hours for very little pay. They live in constant fear of being caught by Israeli authorities and deported back to Palestine, but they are determined to keep working in order to support their loved ones.

The men band together and build a makeshift community for themselves on a hill overlooking Tel Aviv. They call it the "nine-star hotel" because it has nine levels, but in reality it is little more than a collection of shanty shacks made from scrap metal, cardboard, and other discarded materials. Despite the harsh living conditions, the men are fiercely proud of their homes and their ability to survive on their own.

As the film delves deeper into the lives of these workers, viewers begin to see the toll that their living situation has taken on them. They are isolated from their families and communities back home, and they live in constant fear of being caught and deported. They work long hours in dangerous conditions and often suffer injuries that go untreated. And they are constantly on the lookout for the Israeli police and immigration officials who might discover their secret community.

Despite these hardships, the men are surprisingly resilient and hopeful. They gather together for meals, tell jokes and stories, and dream of a better future. Some of them have even managed to save enough money to start their own businesses or buy land back in Palestine. Through it all, they remain determined to keep working and providing for their families, no matter what obstacles they may face.

As the film draws to a close, viewers are left with a powerful sense of the strength and resilience of these workers, who risk everything in order to provide for their loved ones. 9 Star Hotel is a powerful and moving documentary that shines a light on the struggles of migrant workers who are often overlooked and ignored. It is a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there is always hope and resilience to be found.