نؤمن بدور السينما كصوت حر للمرأة وأداة فاعلة للتغيير. يسعى المهرجان إلى دعم الإبداع السينمائي النسائي من فلسطين والعالم، عبر توفير منصة لعرض الأعمال المميزة، واكتشاف المواهب الواعدة، وتمكين صانعات الأفلام مهنيًا وفنيًا. كما يحرص على إبراز صورة واقعية للمرأة الفلسطينية، وبناء جسور تواصل ثقافي عالمي، مع تعزيز الوعي بالسينما كقوة مؤثرة في قضايا العدالة وحقوق المرأة.

79 Films from 28 Countries Selected for the First Edition of the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival

79 Films from 28 Countries Selected for the First Edition of the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival

The Selection Committee of the first edition of the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival, headed by the festival’s founder and president Dr. Ezzedeen Shallah, announced the participation of 79 films, including feature and short fiction and documentary films, representing 28 countries: Italy, France, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, Sweden, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Canada, Sudan, Kenya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Finland, Denmark, Argentina, Iran, and Palestine. These countries will be represented through their films during the festival, which will take place in Gaza City from October 26–31, 2025.

Dr. Shallah explained that the festival received feature and short fiction and documentary films from around the world, regardless of whether the director is male or female, provided that the film addresses women’s issues. The selection committee consisted of director Rima Mahmoud, director Nour Al-Halabi, and filmmaker Mohammed Al-Sahli.

Mohammed Al-Sahli stated:

“I am deeply proud of the exceptional quality of the films submitted from around the world. These cinematic works reflect profound artistic visions and powerful human stories that embody women’s strength and creativity in facing challenges. I extend my sincere gratitude to all directors and producers who believed in the festival’s mission and submitted their work despite the logistical difficulties and extraordinary circumstances in Gaza. Your participation proves that art and culture are stronger than barriers and that cinema remains a bridge for human connection even in the most difficult times.”

Director Nour Al-Halabi also praised the festival, saying:

“It was an honor to serve on the viewing committee of the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival. It was a rich and hopeful experience. We had the opportunity to watch a large number of outstanding and diverse films. What particularly stood out was the deep exploration of women’s issues in the Arab world and the common challenges faced by women across the region. I firmly believe that initiatives like this deserve greater support.”

Feature Fiction Films

  1. Inshallah a Boy – Directed by Amjad Al-Rasheed (Jordan)
  2. Samia – Directed by Yasemin Şamdereli (Belgium)
  3. Salma – Directed by Joud Saeed (Syria)
  4. Tattoo of the Wind – Directed by Leila Tereki (Morocco)
  5. The Sea Laughed – Directed by Noha Adel (Egypt)
  6. Flight 404 – Directed by Hani Khalifa (Egypt)
  7. Thank You for Dreaming with Us – Directed by Leila Abbas (Palestine)
  8. Lalif – Directed by Saber Bakoush (Tunisia)
  9. Sudden Outbursts of Emotion – Directed by Paula Korva (Finland)
  10. With or Without You – Directed by Kelly Schilling (Australia)

Feature Documentary Films

  1. From Abd to Leila – Directed by Leila Al-Bayati (Iraq)
  2. The Green Line – Directed by Sylvie Ballyot
  3. Tell Them About Us – Directed by Rand Beiruty (Jordan)
  4. Iman’s Promise – Directed by Nadia Zouaoui
  5. Aisha’s Story – Directed by Elizabeth Vibert and Chen Wang
  6. Bye Bye Tiberias – Directed by Lina Soualem
  7. Women with Class – Directed by Mohammed Al-Sahli (Sweden)
  8. Norma Too – Directed by Natalia Finelli and Alejandra Josoy (Argentina)
  9. What We Fight For – Directed by Sara Dott and Carlotta Marucci (Italy)
  10. Nadine – Directed by Abdullah Yahya (Tunisia)
  11. Yalla Parkour – Directed by Areeb Zuaiter (Palestine)

Short Fiction Films

  1. Zahra – Dandan Ibrahim (Algeria)
  2. Farah – Mohammed Hafez (Egypt)
  3. Whisper – Aram Abdul Rahim (Syria)
  4. Waiter – Manal Maghrabi (Egypt)
  5. SCLC – Mehdi Idrissi (Morocco)
  6. Noor – Manal Abdel Moneim Amin (Egypt)
  7. The Box – Lili Mokhtar (Egypt)
  8. Uncle Baraka – Islam Essam (Egypt)
  9. The Daughter of Dignity – Mohammed Khairy (Egypt)
  10. Mima – Dorra Sfar (Tunisia)
  11. It Took So Long – Alaa Abdel Qader (Egypt)
  12. The Dream – Ali Mahmoud (Syria)
  13. Dunia Al-Abd – Ahmed Abdeen (Egypt)
  14. Radi and Naama – Nora Kamal (Egypt)
  15. The Hope – Hassan Chatir (Morocco)
  16. To My Father – Khaled Mohammed Haddad (UAE)
  17. Maryam – Omar Dnaya (Morocco)
  18. The Deal – Bilal Al-Mallah (Egypt)
  19. The Window – Majed Girgis (Egypt)
  20. Out of Coverage – Rawya Al-Haj (Sudan–Kenya)
  21. Pray for Dinner – Mohammed Kamal (Sudan)
  22. Lost Braids – Doaa Wahba (Egypt)
  23. Ward – Demiana Samir Abdo (Egypt)
  24. Dry Leaves – Dalila Al-Duraiya (Oman)
  25. Bitterness with a Taste of Chocolate – Mostafa Wafik (Egypt)
  26. My Mother – Basla Abu Hamad (France)
  27. Girls’ Dreams – Marwa El-Sharkawy (Egypt)
  28. The Vision – Sahyo (Egypt)
  29. A Look – Alaa Nasser Mohammed (Egypt)
  30. Woman – Zawar Mohammed (Iraq)
  31. Sakyna – Adnan Obeid (Algeria)
  32. For Your Sake – Khaled Al-Kibish (Algeria)
  33. Some Strings – Collective / Refaat Alareer
  34. TRAUMA – Omar Al-Ibrahimi (Morocco)
  35. Jinwar (Woman’s Villa) – Nadia Darwish (Syria)
  36. Grey Light – Mohammed Al-Karmi (Palestine)
  37. Hind Under Siege – Naji Salama (Jordan)
  38. Dream, Dance – Mounia Sabil
  39. For a Few Hours – Sara Mahmoud
  40. Fragmentation – Mariam Al-Abbad (Kuwait)
  41. Nada – Fatima Ouzane (Algeria)
  42. Keys of Absence – Amin Al-Majri (Tunisia)
  43. On the Edge – Rasha Malham (Syria)
  44. Bundle of Reproach – Raghad Bash (Syria)

Short Documentary Films

  1. Hard Currency – Salah Abdel Moneim (Egypt)
  2. Aya – Ayman Safwat Barakat (Egypt)
  3. The New Bedouins – Manar Al-Zuhairi (Egypt)
  4. Brown Abaya – Aya Ibrahim Saeed (Egypt)
  5. Four Women – Tarek Al-Zarqani (Egypt)
  6. Women on Stage – Zainab Bent Saleh (Tunisia)
  7. Spring of Hope – Amjad Nasser (Iraq)
  8. Camel – Lawrence Reda (Egypt)
  9. I Am Raped – Wafa Kharfiya (Tunisia)
  10. Girls’ Dreams – Marwa El-Sharkawy (Egypt)
  11. My Mother – Najwa Kesslim (Tunisia–Sweden)
  12. The Trap – Iman Abdel Jawad (Egypt)
  13. Scarecrows of the Red Zone – Jalal Eddine Fawzi (Tunisia)
  14. Jinwar (Woman’s Villa) – Nadia Darwish (Syria)
  15. Guardians of the Mountain – Manar Al-Tal
  16. Magic of the Roads – Marwa Al-Souri (Egypt)
0