Habibi by antonio faccilongo

  • Dates
    2020 - 2020
  • Author
  • Topics Social Issues, Documentary, War & Conflicts
  • Location Italy, Italy

HABIBI, is a chronicle of a love story set in one of the longest and most complicated contemporary conflicts, the Israeli-Palestinian war. It follows families in Palestine with men serving long sentences in Israeli jails, who smuggle sperm and use in-vitro fertilization to have children.

Buy now HABIBI by Antonio Faccilongo is the recipient of the 2020 FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo

Copyright 2020 FotoEvidence. All rights reserved.

Photographs Copyright© 2020 Antonio Faccilongo

Text copyright © 2020 Antonio Faccilongo

Photo Editor: Sarah Leen

Design: Ramon Pez

Introduction: Dr. Paridah Abd Samad

Text Editor: David Stuart

Post Production: Danielle Zedda

Poem: “Revenge” by Taha Muhammad Ali

Translated from the Arabic by Pete Cole, Yahya Hijazi and Gabriel Levin and reprinted from “Hymns & Qualms: New and Selected Poems and Translation,” Peter Cole (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2017).

HABIBI is the winner of the 2020 FotoEvidence Book Award with World Press Photo. The Book Award is given each year to a photographer whose work demonstrates courage and commitment in the pursuit of human rights. The project was selected to be published as a book by an international jury.

HABIBI, is a chronicle of a love story set in one of the longest and most complicated contemporary conflicts, the Israeli-Palestinian war. It follows families in Palestine with men serving long sentences in Israeli jails, who smuggle sperm and use in-vitro fertilization to have children. Most media depict Palestine as a war zone. HABIBI takes a purely humanistic approach to one non-violent response to oppression.

The book HABIBI is printed in a limited edition of 500 copies. It measures 17x 23 cm. and contains 58 color photographs, four inserts with images of prisoners taken of from a CCTV video and a personal narrative by the photographer. The book is enhanced with the poetry of Taha Muhammad Ali.

The book will be shipped to buyers in Europe at the end of April and to the USA at the end of May.

Link to purchase the book Habibi: http://fotoevidence.com/book/44/hard-copy

© Foto Evidence - Habibi cover design: Ramon Pez Link to purchase the book Habibi: http://fotoevidence.com/book/44/hard-copy
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Habibi cover design: Ramon Pez Link to purchase the book Habibi: <a href="http://fotoevidence.com/book/44/hard-copy" target="_blank">http://fotoevidence.com/book/44/hard-copy</a>

© Foto Evidence - Image from the Habibi by antonio faccilongo photography project
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Prisoner-made cardboard boat floating in the Dead Sea. It is common among inmates to make handmade items to donate to their loved ones during family visits to prison. These small gestures of affection help prisoners and families to feel closer and overcome sadness and loneliness.

© Foto Evidence - Image from the Habibi by antonio faccilongo photography project
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Kobar (Palestine), 17/08/2015. In Iman Al Barghouti's bedroom, she hangs the suit her husband, Nael Al Barghouti, who is the longest-serving prisoner in Israeli custody, having spent 41 years in prison. Nael was arrested on April 4, 1978 after carrying out a commando operation in which one Israeli was killed. Released during Shalit’s agreement between Hamas and Israel in 2011, he has been arrested again and sentenced to life imprisonment. This picture evokes the absence of men and the emptiness left in the life of mothers, wives and daughters of Palestinian political prisoners. This photo was taken during a meeting at Iman's home. Thanks to the confidence gained with her during the years of work in Palestine, I had the opportunity to photograph some of the private objects left by her husband at home.

© Foto Evidence - Poem: “Revenge” by Taha Muhammad Ali
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Poem: “Revenge” by Taha Muhammad Ali

© Foto Evidence - Image from the Habibi by antonio faccilongo photography project
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Bethlehem (Palestine), 07/30/2015. A chocolate bar hides a pen tube containing sperm of one of the prisoners. This photo shows the best known method, also by Israeli police,used for the smuggling of sperm. On the day of the prison visit, detainees are allowed to speak to their family members at most by telephone and from behind a glass window. Furthermore, conjugal visits are also denied. The only ones who can meet them physically are children under 6 years of age for 10 minutes. With the excuse of giving gifts, the prisoners pass chocolate bars containing their sperm to their children. Thanks to the time spent in Palestine and the relationships established following this story, I was able to take this picture between the prison and the fertility clinic.

© Foto Evidence - Image from the Habibi by antonio faccilongo photography project
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Tulkarem (Palestine), 01/25/2015. Amma Elian is the prisoner Anwar’s wife. He was arrested in 2003 and sentenced for life imprisonment. They have 2 twins born through IVF. Initially, Palestinian women and their families were afraid to declare that they had done in vitro fertilization because they could not know the consequences of their choice. At that time religious authorities in Palestine had not clarified their position on IVF. The procedure is now accepted in specific circumstances. Issuing a religious edict, the Palestinian Supreme Fatwa Council detailed the restrictions, limiting the process to those men with a long sentence. As a result, a greater degree of openness now exists for those who have had children in this manner. During our meeting I asked Amma to take a portrait. I did not ask anything to her, I just got the camera and took this picture.

© Foto Evidence - Image from the Habibi by antonio faccilongo photography project
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Beit Rima (Palestine), 11/19/2017. Lydia Rimawi (38) at the window in her house. She has a son, Majd, who was born through IVF. Lydia’s husband, Abdel Karim (44), has been arrested since June 2001 and sentenced to 25 years for involvement in the 2001 murder of Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi. The life of these women is in constant expectation of the return of their men. This photo suggests that they are standing at the window looking at the life that passes under their eyes. I've known Lydia and her family for a long time and I took this picture during one of our meetings in her house while she were looking outside.

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