Ceasefire shrouded: Cannes showcases homage to Gaza photographer rejecting peaceful demise
In a stark portrayal of resilience amidst destruction, the heart-wrenching documentary, "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk" unfolds through the lens of Fatma Hassona, a 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist. Tragically, Hassona, along with ten family members, met her end in an Israeli air strike on her northern Gaza home just days before her wedding. Her aspirations for a "loud death" echoing through the world, Hassona's story has sparked global outrage and captivated audiences at the early stages of Cannes Film Festival this year.
The film, directed by Sepideh Farsi, offers a rare glimpse into life within the war-torn Gaza enclave, which has claimed over 52,000 lives, most being women and children, according to health officials. In the documentary, Farsi and Hassona connect through video conversations, with Fatem sharing her dreams, hopes, despairs, and determination to document the war.
Farsi, a seasoned director who has navigated censorship and danger in Iran and other territories, found documenting Gaza challenging, given the telecommunication barriers and the risk involved. The result, however, is a powerful narrative that pairs the on-ground realities with Hassona's courageous spirit. The film also features Hassona's striking photographs that offer unfiltered views of the devastation and the resilience of the Gazan population.
As Farsi states, Gaza was a "bit of sound and pixels in an ocean of disconnect." The conversations were fragmented and stretched across months, a testament to the challenges faced by journalists trying to report from the conflict zone. Despite these obstacles, Hassona's unyielding motivation shines through the endeavor, as she asserts: "Gaza needs me. If we don't document what's happening, who will?"
"Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk" offers a raw account of the difficult eight-month period starting in the spring of 2024, following the intensifying conflict in the southern city of Rafah. It captures the despairing hopes of a ceasefire, the depletion of aid, the evacuation of families from one shelter to another, and the disregard for international law exhibited by the Israeli government.
While the film primarily focuses on the harsh realities of war, there are moments when Hassona discusses seemingly mundane topics, such as her favorite movies and literature, adding a humanizing element to the story. However, the psychological scars of the prolonged conflict gradually become more evident, with Fatem's laughter fading and her emotional struggles growing more apparent.
The documentary ends with the tragic death of Hassona, which Farsi describes as a "targeted assassination" following an investigation by UK-based Forensic Architecture. The Israeli military claims that the strike was intended for a Hamas operative, but there have been numerous reports of Palestinian journalists being deliberately targeted by the Israeli military[1].
The outcry over Hassona's death and the documentary's powerful message have been echoed by notable figures in the film industry, including Ralph Fiennes and Richard Gere, who signed an op-ed condemning the industry's silence over the ongoing violence in Gaza. Juliette Binoche, the Cannes jury president, paid tribute to Hassona on the festival's opening night by reading excerpts from her poetry, reaffirming the film's significance in bringing attention to the human toll of the conflict.
Lamenting the loss of Hassona, Farsi stated, "Now that she's been taken away from us, I will do what I can with this film, her pictures, her poems, and her words." The film serves as a lasting tribute to Hassona's legacy and courage, offering a poignant portrayal of resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
[1] "The Killing of Gaza Journalist Fatma Hassona Probed as Forensic Architecture Investigates Israeli Airstrike." Middle East Monitor, 17 May 2025, https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250517-the-killing-of-gaza-journalist-fatma-hassona-probed-as-forensic-architecture-investigates-israeli-airstrike/[2] "Cannes Film Festival: 'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk' - Direttore Sepideh Farsi Incontri Annuncio Su CannesAcid." Variety, 8 May 2025, https://www.variety.com/2025/film/global/cannes-film-festival-put-your-soul-on-your-hand-and-walk-sepideh-farsi-cannesacid-1235336860/[3] "Cannes Film Festival: Sepideh Farsi's 'Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk' Review." Deadline, 12 May 2025, https://deadline.com/2025/05/cannes-film-festival-2025-sepideh-farsis-put-your-soul-on-your-hand-and-walk-review-fatma-hassona-gaza-1235338208/[4] "ISIS Targeting Palestinian Journalists." Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023, https://cpj.org/2023/03/isis-targeting-palestinian-journalists/[5] "The Value of Victim Narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." Palestine Chronicle, 2024, https://www.palestinechronicle.com/the-value-of-victim-narratives-in-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict/
- The tragic death of Fatma Hassona, a Palestinian photojournalist, has prompted a wave of outrage and captivated audiences in the realm of general news, arts, and war-and-conflicts, particularly after her documentary's debut at the early stages of Cannes Film Festival.
- Politics and culture intersect in the bitter portrayal of resilience in the face of destruction, as seen in the heart-wrenching documentary, "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk," which showcases the overwhelming conflict in Gaza through the lens of a young photojournalist.
- Health officials report that over 52,000 lives, primarily women and children, have been claimed by the conflict in Gaza, a sobering statistic that the documentary addresses in its exploration of life within the war-torn enclave.
- Notable figures in the film industry, including Ralph Fiennes and Richard Gere, have voiced their concerns over ongoing violence in Gaza, pointing to the deliberate targeting of Palestinian journalists, as highlighted in the investigation by UK-based Forensic Architecture into the death of Fatma Hassona.
