Huffington Post Article on ‘State 194’

“State 194” – Bracing Documentary about Building Palestine

A new documentary highlighting the efforts of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to build the framework of a Palestinian state opens May 17 in New York and Los Angeles on limited release. One hopes the distributors send it nationwide so that more Americans can see it.

State 194, directed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning director Dan Setton, follows Fayyad and his colleagues over two years as they work to establish the basis for what they hope will become the 194th member state of the United Nations.

Unfortunately for the filmmakers, Fayyad resigned earlier this month – although he remains at his desk pending the appointment of a successor. That doesn’t mean the film is not worth watching. Through it, we get to know a different kind of Palestinian than that which is usually depicted in our popular culture. Instead of a terrorist or corrupt politician, we see a U.S.-educated economist speaking in terms we can understand and respect.