The management of the Gaza International Festival for Women’s Cinema, headed by its founder and president, Dr. Ezzaldeen Shalh, has announced the official launch of the Gaza Cinema Academy during the opening ceremony of the festival’s second edition on Monday, 26 October 2026, at 3:30 PM, at the destroyed Al-Nakheel Hall in Al-Bureij.
The academy was officially announced internationally on 9 September 2026 in Venice, Italy, coinciding with the Venice International Film Festival. The initiative was launched by nine founding members: Dr. Ezzaldeen Shalh, Mai Masri, Kaouther Ben Hania, Annemarie Jacir, Saleh Bakri, Graziella Bildesheim, Ramy Youssef, Hiam Abbass, and Alaa Karkouti.
The founders of the Gaza Cinema Academy have issued an official statement ahead of its anticipated launch during the festival’s opening ceremony.
The Women Who Make Life from Death team will light the flame, marking the official launch of the academy, in the presence of Dr. Ezzaldeen Shalh and a number of filmmakers, intellectuals, artists, writers, and poets. The event will celebrate the academy’s official launch in Gaza and its continued role in training and supporting emerging cinematic talent.
The establishment of the Gaza Cinema Academy builds on the experience of the Filmmaking Diploma, through which films directed by women from Gaza were produced. The academy aims to develop and build upon this training experience, continuing and expanding its work through the academy.
The opening ceremony will feature screenings of five Palestinian films produced as part of the diploma: Soso: The Lifeline, directed by Kawthar Muneer; A Sack of Flour, directed by Mona Abu Quss; Remnants of Light, directed by Hanadi Abu Salah; Beyond Silence, directed by Raghda Al-Buhaysi; and Dandana, directed by Israa Abu Jiyab.
The films were produced under the supervision of filmmaker and producer Mai Masri and Dr. Ezzaldeen Shalh. They tell stories drawn from life in Gaza, reflecting the directors’ experiences and their perspectives on the world around them.
The Gaza International Festival for Women’s Cinema will continue until Saturday, 31 October 2026. The closing ceremony will take place at the destroyed Al-Nakheel Hall in Al-Bureij, behind Abu Asi Station, opposite Aideen Refugee Camp. It will include the presentation of awards to the winning films, as well as special screenplay awards.
