Rafeef Asleem

Gaza – Participants in the Gaza International Women's Film Festival express their pain and struggle through art, proving that the voice of women cannot be silenced even under bombardment. From tents and ruins, they rebuild themselves and their communities, launching a cinema that reflects their reality.
The first edition of the Gaza International Women's Film Festival opened on Sunday evening, October 26, under the slogan "Glorious Women in the Time of Genocide," in a large popular and female presence. It is the first artistic event held after a two-year war. The festival opened with the screening of the film *The Voice of Hind Rajab*, which is nominated for an Oscar. Screenings will continue until October 31, celebrating Palestinian women’s resilience and documenting their struggle through art.

“The red carpet today is laid between the tents – the greatest expression of determination”
Palestinian filmmaker Rima Mahmoud, a member of the festival’s viewing and judging committee, explained that the festival is being held amidst destruction and genocide to speak about the woman as a partner in struggle and resistance throughout the war on Gaza. It focuses on her pain, which must be documented through art so the world can see it.
She emphasized that the festival was entirely organized by women, ensuring their issues are visible to the world, as no one can express a woman’s experience better than herself- especially after the events, circumstances, and even small details she has lived through. She added that their presence delivers a clear message to the world: women remain present and powerful in all fields and will rise from under the rubble to rebuild themselves and their communities.
According to Rima Mahmoud, the festival will showcase a series of films focusing on women’s issues, particularly Palestinian women and their cause, portraying them as both the weakest and strongest link- devastated by war on one hand, yet steadfast in defending the cause and identity on the other.
Regarding the challenges, she said, “When I decided to launch the festival, there were no available resources for an international film event. Before the war, we had theaters and the means to host a proper red carpet ceremony, but today Gaza presents this festival using the simple means available from within the displacement camps. This demonstrates our determination to succeed. The red carpet today is laid between tents, not between lights and cameras.”

She confirmed that *The Voice of Hind Rajab* has won international awards and is nominated for an Oscar. “It’s a true story that focused on the details and the voice of the child Hind Rajab, whose story brought the Palestinian cause back into the spotlight, helping to highlight many similar cases Israel thought the world had forgotten.”

“Continuing women’s initiatives is the guarantee of our rights and our voice”
Rana Al-Yazji, one of the organizers of the Gaza International Women's Film Festival, said the festival reflects the reality of Palestinian women who faced the horrors of war, sacrificing their bodies, children, and homes, yet continued their paths with strength and determination that inspire women around the world. She added that although she lost her husband, that experience taught her how to rise again, continue her life, and raise her children with unbreakable will.
Regarding hosting the festival in the Algerian camp, she expressed her hope that Algerian women would feel proud when watching the festival’s activities through the media, especially since one Algerian woman stands with the victims of the war and contributes to organizing the artistic shows. She stressed that continuing such women’s initiatives is crucial, as halting them would mean losing women’s rights, emphasizing that the organizational challenges are insignificant compared to the meaningful outcomes achieved on the ground.

“Art needs no translation; it awakens the world’s conscience toward our suffering”
Faten Harb, one of the supporters of the Gaza International Women's Film Festival, said this day holds a special significance for her, as it coincides with the Palestinian Women’s National Day on October 26, giving the event a symbolic dimension that strengthens the resilience of Palestinian women and highlights their suffering over the past two years.
She affirmed that art is a noble humanitarian message that needs no translation, for it speaks directly to the senses and awakens the world’s conscience toward the suffering of peoples living under war, foremost among them the people of Gaza.
Faten Harb explained that the world may have grown weary of seeing repeated scenes of Palestinian women’s suffering on the news, which is why these films were created- to shed light once again on their struggle and continuous pursuit of freedom, but in a more profound and artistic way.
She pointed out that Hind Rajab represents one of thousands of women and children brutally killed during the genocide, as she was directly targeted by Israeli forces while fleeing her home in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood. They fired hundreds of bullets at her and her family to ensure they were dead.
She stressed that Israel blatantly violates all international agreements and conventions, exploiting the absence of any authority capable of holding it accountable. Hind Rajab and her family were civilians attempting to escape from a red zone designated by Israeli forces, yet they were executed in cold blood without hesitation.

She highlighted the importance of enforcing international laws that protect women and children and the need to impose sanctions on the perpetrators wherever they may be to ensure justice and prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

“We are launching a cinema told through our own eyes- because our story must never be forgotte”
Nihaya Jaradeh, one of the participants, explained that her participation came in response to the first invitation of its kind to attend an art event dedicated to women. She emphasized her keenness to support and stand by other women, reaffirming the importance of maintaining their active roles in society during and after crises. She noted that women in Gaza have proven their ability to work and create despite all the difficult circumstances and challenges they face.
She said that before the war, women and girls documented their realities through short documentaries, but today the festival represents a step toward a comprehensive women’s cinema, told through their own eyes. The aim of this cinema is to empower Palestinian women to produce works that express their realities and embody their struggles- because every untold story is one at risk of being forgotten, and the world would never know it.
She concluded by stressing that society and the world now must focus on empowering Palestinian women to fulfill their roles and claim their rights, pointing out that Gaza needs more artistic events focusing on women- the bereaved mothers, the injured, and those forced to assume all roles of their partners after enduring loss, displacement, and destruction.