Waterford Film For All presents The Encampments
The Encampments is a documentary about the pro-Palestinian solidarity encampment that emerged on the campus of New York’s Columbia University in 2024. As the protest grew and similar encampments developed across other universities, the protesters faced increasingly aggressive pushback from the Columbia administration, media, local police, prominent politicians and even the US government.
This documentary focuses on the protesters who risked their own education and future to oppose US complicity in the Gaza war, with the filmmakers also illustrating the ferocity of the official crackdown on peaceful dissent.
It features interviews with several activists, including Mahmoud Khalil – the graduate student who was later detained and threatened with deportation by the Trump administration for his role in the protests.
Festivals
CPH:DOX (Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival) 2025
Reviews
“[Presents] a far more clarifying and empathetic document of the peaceful protesters’ activities and rationale than was ever permitted during the media firestorm that ensued.” – Josh Slater-Williams, Little White Lies
“The Encampments proves both rousing and reflective… An intimate aesthetic embodiment of what participating in a protest feels like, in all its hues.” – Siddhant Adlakha, Indiewire
“It’s a raw, bald film, but one that never loses its focus.” ★★★★ – Donald Clarke, The Irish Times
English language
Directors: Michael T Workman, Kei Pritsker
