In this episode of afikra's This Is Not A Watermelon, pioneer Palestinian filmmaker and director Mai Masri shares her cinematic journey, her inspirations, and the stories behind her most impactful works. Masri reflects on her early trilogy Children of Fire, Children of Shatila, and Frontier of Dreams and Fears, sharing the realities and experiences of filming under siege and occupation. She talks about the power of finding poetry in the human condition and capturing harsh realities faced by Palestinians every day, as well as why she chooses to focus on small, personal stories to speak to a broader narrative. Finally, we learn about how Masri fostered a sense of belonging through the camera as a Palestinian who had grown up in the diaspora.