The Gaza International Women’s Film Festival, headed by its founder and president Dr. Ezzedeen Shallah, is organizing a special screening of the Palestinian film Palestine 36 at the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in Gaza City, located on Al-Jalaa Street in the city center. The event comes as part of the festival’s ongoing efforts to support Palestinian cinema and bring historical and human narratives to local audiences. The screening will be followed by a discussion with the film’s director and a number of Palestinian, Arab, and international actors participating online.
Palestine 36 is considered one of the most prominent contemporary Palestinian cinematic productions. Directed by Palestinian filmmaker Anne Marie Jaser, the film features a distinguished cast of Palestinian, Arab, and international actors. It has received significant international attention, reaching the shortlist for the Academy Awards (Oscars), marking an important achievement for Palestinian cinema and its global presence.
Dr. Shallah stated that the screening is scheduled for Monday, December 22, at 3:30 PM, and will serve as the film’s first screening in Palestine – Gaza. The event is expected to attract cinema enthusiasts, cultural figures, artists, media representatives, and members of the public.
The film explores a pivotal period in Palestinian history, presenting a dramatic and deeply human story that sheds light on the realities of Palestine during that era. Through a narrative rich with themes of struggle, identity, and existential questions, the film combines artistic excellence with historical depth.
Shallah emphasized that organizing this screening aligns with the festival’s vision of promoting cinematic culture in the Gaza Strip and supporting films that tell the Palestinian story through an independent artistic perspective. He added that the event offers local audiences the opportunity to experience internationally acclaimed cinema despite the difficult circumstances facing the region.
He further noted that the screening of Palestine 36 carries a cultural and humanitarian message, demonstrating that Palestinian cinema can reach major international platforms and that film remains a vital tool for preserving collective memory and conveying the Palestinian narrative to the world.
The event is part of a broader series of cinematic and cultural activities organized by the festival in partnership with local and international institutions, reaffirming the role of cinema as a form of cultural resistance and a space for free expression.
