Doha Film Institute Amplifies Palestinian Voices at    Doha Film Festival

Doha, Qatar, 24 September 2025 – Doha Film Institute affirms its unwavering commitment to empowering important Arab voices by bringing urgent stories from Palestine to the forefront during its upcoming Doha Film Festival.

At a time when Palestinian lives and histories are under siege, the festival offers its screens as a space for memory, dignity, and hope. It presents a diverse selection of powerful works that embody the human spirit of Palestine, which the world cannot afford to ignore.

The compelling slate of features includes the acclaimed opening film The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania, Kamal Aljafari’s deeply personal With Hassan in Gaza, the evocative Once Upon a Time in Gaza by Arab and Nasser Tarzan, and a special screening of Annemarie Jacir’s Palestine 36, a landmark work that demonstrates the depth of Palestinian cinematic storytelling and its vital place in the global cultural landscape.

“These films are not just stories on screen, they are urgent testaments of truth, survival and resistance and are voices of a people who refuse to be silenced,” said Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and Chief Executive Officer of Doha Film Institute. “They carry with them the memories, the pain and the enduring hopes of Palestinians, refusing erasure and demanding recognition. In supporting these films, we pay tribute to the courage of their creators and stand with Palestine, ensuring their stories are seen, heard, and remembered. At Doha Film Festival, we are honoured to provide a platform where these voices are amplified to echo across the world and inspire change.”

The programme includes:

• The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia/France) by Kaouther Ben Hania integrates actual emergency call recordings with scripted performances in recreating the final moments of an innocent child, Hind Rajab, whose voice shook the conscience of the world.
• Once Upon a Time in Gaza (Palestine/France/Germany/Portugal/Qatar) by Tarzan & Arab Nasser set in Gaza in 2007 and follows a young student, a charismatic dealer, and a corrupt cop. A story of violence, revenge and inevitable tragedy.
• With Hassan in Gaza (Germany/Palestine/France/Qatar) by Kamal Aljafari is a cinematic reflection on memory, loss, and the passage of time, capturing a Gaza of the past and lives that may never be found again.
• Palestine 36 (Palestine/UK/France/Denmark/Norway/Qatar/KSA/Jordan) by Annemarie Jacir, presented as a special screening, tells a story of individual actions against the roiling history of 1936 during the British Mandate for Palestine.

Through this powerful selection, Doha Film Festival becomes more than a cultural gathering. It is a space of solidarity, showcasing films that inspire empathy, encourage dialogue and carry Palestinian voices beyond borders and into the global conscience.

Taking place from 20–28 November 2025, Doha Film Festival (DFF) represents the bold next chapter in Doha Film Institute’s mission to nurture regional talent and champion urgent and authentic stories in cinema.

The festival will transform iconic locations across Doha, including Katara Cultural Village, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and the Museum of Islamic Art, into vibrant hubs of cultural exchange, bringing together filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences from every corner of the globe, to reaffirm art’s power to inspire, to unite, and to spotlight voices that deepen our shared understanding.

Designed to reflect the diversity and ambition of the region through a wide selection of films, inspiring conversations and engaging events, DFF will provide a truly meaningful shared cultural experience in Doha. For more information, visit www.dohafilm.com.