The CIFF has taken up a very clear and steadfast stance in solidarity with Palestinians. After the postponement of the 2023 edition as a show of solidarity and after dedicating a special section for Palestinian films in 2024, the 46th CIFE edition this year has created special space for Palestinian cinema with films that powerfully echo the resilience of Palestinians worldwide.
Palestinian films participating in various sections were carefully selected for this edition.
Once Upon a Time in Gaza, directed by twin brothers Arab and Tarzan Nasser, comes fresh after winning Best Director Award in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival 2025, was screened during the 46th CIFF.
Born in the Gaza Strip in 1988, the brothers bring their homeland to life with a uniquely balanced blend of dark humor and social satire. Set in 2007, Yahya (Nader Abd Alhay), a student, decides to avenge his friend Ossama’s brutal murder.
The movie opens up on a black screen with the voice of Donald Trump introducing his plan to turn Gaza into the “Middle East Riviera.”
The story starts with the friendship of Yahya with Ossama, the owner of a falafel restaurant, with whom he takes risks in dealing in drugs, hiding pain medication prescribed by Ossama’s doctor inside falafel sandwiches.
Made in the style of old-time 1960 westerns inspired by Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the movie focuses less on a tight-knit story but reflects the atmosphere and a snapshot of the ordinary lives of the protagonists.
Dark comedy gives way to the unrelenting misery and everyday life in a Gaza persistently shattered by war.
Several powerful documentaries are also to be shown in this year’s festival.
Habibi Hussein, by Palestinian filmmaker Alex Bakri, was screened at this edition of CIFF. The film follows Hussein Darby, the last projectionist of Jenin Cinema, as he tries to repair a 50-year-old projector. The film offers a poignant glimpse into the collapse of cinema infrastructure in places like Jenin.
Another moving documentary is One More Show, by Egyptian director Mai Saad and Palestinian director Ahmed Al-Danaf. It follows a circus troupe that keeps performing, bringing joy to children in the ruins of Gaza. It underlines that art can shine at times when any other ray of hope cannot deliver even small glimpses of happy moments.
The feature-length documentary Who Is Still Alive, by Nicolas Wadimoff gives voice to nine Gazans speaking about their lives before the war, what they lost, and how they resist erasure.
The festival also screens historical works and critically acclaimed global premieres.
Palestine 36 (2025), by Annemarie Jacir, is a Palestinian Oscar entry, a dramatisation about the 1936-1939 Arab revolt against the British rule in Mandatory Palestine.
The film follows Yusuf, a young man entangled in the midst of swelling political tension, through the seminal events that forged a national identity for Palestinians. It features an ensemble cast, including Hiam Abbass, who also was recognized with the 46th CIFF Golden Pyramid Award for Lifetime Achievement in celebration of her status as not only a veteran actress but, even more importantly, as a strong icon of Palestinian culture.
The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania will be shown during the closing ceremony of the festival. The movie premiered in Venice with a very favorable critical reception. It meticulously reconstitutes the last hours, during which the five-year-old Hind remained trapped inside a car, surrounded by Israeli tank fire and ambulances trying to reach her.
