When the Boys Return

Young ex-prisoners in the West Bank struggle to reclaim their lives and hope.

In When the Boys Return, filmmaker Tone Andersen takes us inside the lives of 11 young Palestinian men in Hebron, West Bank, who gather weekly at the local YMCA to rebuild their lives after time spent in Israeli jails. These youths are among the thousands of Palestinian minors, some as young as twelve, who have been detained over the years, often charged with stone-throwing and sentenced by military courts. The film unfolds over ten weeks as counsellor Nader Khallaf leads the group through a structured therapy programme designed to help them recover from trauma and reintegrate into their families and communities.

Among the boys are Mohammad Jamil, 15, who struggles between activism and finding stability, and Hamze Mahfouz, 17, whose quiet determination hides deep anger and frustration. Both live with the daily fear of re-arrest, a shadow that shapes every aspect of their young lives. Through their stories, Andersen captures the lasting psychological scars of imprisonment and the immense difficulty of returning to normality in a region marked by constant conflict.

Blending intimate observation with a poetic visual style, Andersen reveals not only the pain and vulnerability of these youths but also their resilience. The film’s strength lies in its empathy and restraint, portraying how individuals and communities persevere amid occupation and uncertainty. When the Boys Return stands as a moving testament to the courage of Palestinian youth striving to reclaim their future.