You are here:

The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall

Name: The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall
Director: Rowan Joffé
Released: 2008
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

2008

Director

Rowan Joffé

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film excels as a study of systemic power and institutional accountability. By incorporating Palestinian eyewitness accounts, it avoids a one-sided Western perspective and highlights the lived realities of a underrepresented population. While the documentary provides a platform for voices often silenced by official military discourse, it lacks representation for LGBTQ+ identities and disability. The narrative is strictly centered on the geopolitical struggle and the Hurndall family's investigation. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its interrogation of state-driven historical narratives. It uses the specific tragedy of Thomas Hurndall to explore broader themes of human rights and the morality of military protocols.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or narratives. The story focuses solely on the humanitarian tragedy and the family's pursuit of justice.

How does The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall portray gender?

Fair

Jocelyn Hurndall plays a significant role in driving the narrative. Her emotional intelligence and resilience advance the investigation, offering a perspective that goes beyond a purely patriarchal lens.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall?

Good

The film contrasts British humanitarian experiences with those of Palestinians in Gaza. This dual-perspective structure challenges a monolithic Western viewpoint by highlighting ethnic and geopolitical differences.

How does The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative critiques institutional power and examines the impact of occupation on civilian life. It engages with post-colonial themes by questioning military protocols and state-sanctioned narratives.

Does The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no documented focus on visible or invisible disabilities within the primary narrative arc of this documentary.

Present on Screen

Effective use of dual perspectives to include Palestinian eyewitness accounts.
Strong women's ability to drive the story through the character of Jocelyn Hurndall.
Nuanced critique of institutional power and state-sanctioned narratives.

Limited or Absent

Complete absence of LGBTQ+ representation or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities.
No focus on disability representation within the narrative arc.

Official Synopsis

After Tom Hurndall is shot in the head in Gaza, his parents Anthony and Jocelyn arrive in Israel wanting to know how it could have happened. They expect sympathy and cooperation from the Israeli authorities, but are instead met with an official explanation that fails to tally with any eye-witness accounts, and a wall of silence. When an Israeli army report attempts to whitewash the incident, the Hurndalls decide the only way to establish the truth is to launch their own investigation into the shooting, a process which brings them face to face with both the Open-Fire regulations of the Israeli army in Gaza, and the soldier who pulled the trigger.

How are these scores produced? →