As the Oscar season kicks off, national film boards around the world have submitted their official entries for consideration, including three films centred on Palestinian history and experience, submitted by Palestine, Jordan, and Tunisia.
Palestine 36 (Palestine)
Directed by Bethlehem-born filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, Palestine 36 focuses on Jerusalem in 1936, during the largest Palestinian uprising against British rule. Rather than highlighting political leaders, the film follows ordinary people striving to live, love, and sustain their communities under mounting tension. The cast includes Hiam Abbass, Saleh Bakri, and Jeremy Irons. Jacir’s work provides a visually expansive and emotionally grounded depiction of a rarely portrayed period from a Palestinian perspective.
All That’s Left of You (Jordan)
Palestinian-American filmmaker Cherien Dabis directs All That’s Left of You, which tells the intimate story of a single Palestinian family across three generations. Dabis herself plays the mother, exploring grief and memory as the son’s fate is pieced together through recollections of the grandfather. The film highlights how the Palestinian story is inherited in fragments and quiet narratives. Executive producers include Javier Bardem and Mark Ruffalo.
The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia)
Tunisia’s submission, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, dramatizes the final moments of five-year-old Hind Rajab, killed in Gaza last year. Using real audio recordings of Hind’s calls to the Red Crescent rescue team, the film recreates the emergency efforts as Israeli tanks closed in. Ben Hania emphasizes that the film is faithful to the experiences of those involved, aiming to confront audiences rather than comfort them. It premiered at Venice to 23 minutes of applause, recognized for its emotional power and unflinching portrayal.
Together, these films highlight the diversity of Palestinian storytelling—from historical narratives to intimate family dramas and contemporary tragedies—showing that Palestinian experiences can be told with nuance, depth, and urgency.