Rule of Stone
Danae Elon | 2024 | Canada | 85’
About the film
A story of dispossession by design. What is the personal responsibility of architects and urban planners simply following government policy? Rule of Stone looks at the significance of Jerusalem Stone, a material that architects must use to give Jerusalem its singular aesthetic quality. Described as an aesthetic of historic forgery used to solidify the myth of ancient Jewish continuity in the occupied lands. A policy of invisible violence responsible for the displacement of Palestinians from Jerusalem. Danae Elon’s delicate examination doesn’t skirt controversy when examining the so-called masterplan for the city: taking over Palestinian neighbourhoods by placing Jewish hubs in the middle for the sake of supposed intermingling. By mixing archival footage with interviews with local planners, residents and architects such as Moshe Safdie, the director takes aim at the direct political implications of architecture, and stone in particular.
