BERLIN – Kaouther Ben Hania, director of the acclaimed film The Voice of Hind Rajab, declined to accept the Most Valuable Film award at the Cinema for Peace gala on Monday, held alongside the Berlin International Film Festival.
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In a powerful speech, Ben Hania framed her decision as a moral stance rather than an expression of gratitude. The film portrays the tragic death of six-year-old Hind Rajab, killed by Israeli tank fire in Gaza, and documents the desperate efforts of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to rescue her.
“What happened to Hind is not an exception. It’s part of a genocide,” Ben Hania said, criticizing governments and institutions that, in her view, provide “political cover” for mass civilian killings while framing them as acts of self-defence.
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She emphasized that true peace cannot exist without accountability. “Justice means accountability. Without accountability, there is no peace,” she told the audience, which included figures such as Hillary Clinton and Kevin Spacey. Ben Hania left the award at the ceremony as a symbolic reminder, stating she would accept it only when “peace is pursued as a legal and moral obligation, rooted in accountability for genocide.”
The director’s film has garnered international acclaim, winning the Silver Lion at the Venice International Film Festival and receiving record ovations. It has also been nominated for the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.
The Berlin festival has recently faced controversy over its perceived silence on Israel’s war on Gaza. More than 80 prominent film professionals, including Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, and Javier Bardem, condemned the festival for “anti-Palestinian racism.” Acclaimed author Arundhati Roy withdrew from the festival after the jury president suggested cinema should “stay out of politics.”
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Ben Hania’s refusal has sparked debate about the role of art in confronting political and humanitarian crises, highlighting the continuing global conversation over Gaza and accountability for civilian casualties.