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Rubber Coated Steel
In 2014, artist and forensic audio analyst Lawrence Abu Hamdan examined audio files of the shots that killed Nadeem Nawara and Mohamed Abu Daher in the West Bank of Palestine. The film centres on the gunfire, yet no shots are heard.
A detailed acoustic analysis, for which Abu Hamdan used special techniques designed to visualise the sound frequencies, established that live rounds were fired, and an attempt was made to make these fatal shots sound as if they were rubber bullets. These visualisations later became the crucial piece of evidence picked up by news channel CNN and international news agencies, forcing Israel to renounce its original denial. Rubber Coated Steel does not preside over the voices of the victims but seeks to amplify their silence.
Bio Lawrence Abu Hamdan
Artist Lawrence Abu Hamdan (Jordan, 1985) practices what he calls “forensic listening” by documenting and analysing sound using video, installation, and live performance. His work frequently explores the relationships among listening, politics, human rights, testimony, and truth through various art disciplines. He also makes audio analyses for legal investigations and advocacy.
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- This film was #62 in the “Greatest” Short Films of All Time 2025