Shot on film: The films of 2025 documenting Palestinian stories

With the end of 2025, Israel’s inhumane occupation of Palestine and the ruthless brutalisation of its people continues, despite claims of a so-called ‘ceasefire’. However, the Palestinian resistance remains strong, and this is evident through the number of films released this year centring on life under apartheid and the reality of living in Palestine. In March, we even saw the Palestinian-Israeli co-creation No Other Land win an Academy Award for Best Documentary (Feature), and while Palestinian cinema does not necessarily need accolades and grand prizes to be important, it was certainly a landmark event at a time in which global consciousness of the occupation is rapidly increasing.

October saw the release of Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36, a historical drama recounting the Palestinian revolt against British imperialism in the years 1936-1939. The film, starring Karim Daoud Anaya, follows his character Yusuf as he travels between his rural hometown and Jerusalem, while across the country riots begin to erupt in response to colonial rule. While it was originally set to be filmed in Palestine, the genocide in Gaza delayed production, but the team were able to return later on and continue creating the film. Palestine 36 has been the only feature film shot in Palestine since the beginning of Israel’s attacks on Gaza in October 2023, and after receiving a 20-minute standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, it has now been submitted to the 98th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. Garnering overall positive reviews, the film serves to educate watchers on true Palestinian history, highlighting the people’s continued subjugation, yet, also, their resilience and perseverance in keeping their own land.

This one is particularly poignant due to its depiction of a very recent tragedy which occurred in the midst of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza

Perhaps one of the most notable examples of Palestinian-centred films released in 2025 is the hard-hitting The Voice of Hind Rajab, from Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania. This one is particularly poignant due to its depiction of a very recent tragedy which occurred in the midst of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. This film retells the heartbreaking story of the 5-year-old girl Hind Rajab, who, trapped in a car with her dead family members and with the nearby threat of Israeli armed forces, calls the Palestine Red Crescent Society in a desperate plea for help. We see the responders at the PCRS attempt to create a safe route for an ambulance to rescue Hind, only for the ambulance to also be shelled – only 200m away from the young girl.

Throughout the film, Ben Hania uses clips from the real recording of Hind Rajab’s phone call. This inclusion not only adds realism to the story, but, as you would expect, highlights the distress the girl suffered in her final moments. The director also includes the voices of the PCRS responders overlaid on the actors’ voices, as well as real video of the event merged with the film’s recreation of it. Once again, the filmmakers here have used film to shed light on a true event from Palestine under Israeli occupation, and as such have resisted against the erasure of Palestinian stories and voices. The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September, and received a 23-minute standing ovation, the longest since the premiere of Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival. It has also been submitted to the 98th Academy Awards, and has been nominated for and won several other major awards. Clearly, Palestinian stories are empathetically received by viewers, and their importance in today’s social and political climate is undeniable.

Art has always been used to protest, to speak up and to speak the truth – Palestinian cinema is no exception

These films, while obviously being a form of education and resistance against widespread Israeli propaganda and the suffering felt under occupation, are also a way for Palestinian filmmakers to leave an indelible mark on history. Art has always been used to protest, to speak up and to speak the truth – Palestinian cinema is no exception. A few months after No Other Land won its Oscar, a collaborator on the film, Awdah Hathaleen, was shot and killed by an Israeli settler in the West Bank. Such instances of violence are unfortunately all too common, and until there is a definite end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and complete liberation for all, we must continue to bear witness to Palestinian stories. Although I wish the people of Palestine had the chance to make films about freedom, happiness and everything else which we take for granted as part of our normal lives, I believe it is important to keep watching and supporting their films detailing their lives under occupation. Their resilience is endlessly inspiring, and perhaps one day we will be able to watch movies made in a free Palestine.

In order to write poetry that isn’t political, I must listen to the birds. And in order to hear the birds, the warplanes must be silent.  —Marwan Makhoul, Palestinian poet