The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing

When a filmmaker of Palestinian descent based in Scotland unearths a rarely-seen Scottish film archive of Palestinian wildflowers, he decides to reclaim the footage

Year: 2024 

Director: Theo Panagopoulos  

Producer: Marissa Keating  

Executive Producers: Flore Cosquer, Alexandra Colta and Mark Thomas 

Screen Scotland support: The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing was developed through Scottish Documentary Institute’s Bridging the Gap programme with support from Screen Scotland. 


Synopsis

When a filmmaker of Palestinian descent based in Scotland unearths a rarely-seen Scottish film archive of Palestinian wildflowers, he decides to reclaim the footage. This tender film essay questions the role of image-making as a tool of both testimony and violence when connected to entanglements between people and the land.

Still from The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing showing a man holding a child, while a woman to their right holds up a wildflower. They stand outdoors in a sunny location.


More information

Festivals: The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing has screened at festivals including Sundance Film Festival (January 2024), London Short Film Festival (January 2024), Slamdance Film Festival (February 2024) and the Edinburgh International Film Festival (August 2024). 

Awards: The Flowers Stand Silently, Witnessing was awarded the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

Image credits: Stills courtesy of Scottish Documentaty Institute