Festival de Cannes pays tribute to slain Gaza photographer

Title: A Young Photojournalist's Heart-Wrenching Story to Be Showcased at Cannes

The moving documentary "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk," directed by Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, will be screened at ACID Cannes this May 13-24. This parallel event runs alongside the main competition in Cannes, France.

This poignant film features heartfelt conversations between Farsi and Fatima Hassouna, a 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist. Hassouna, who was killed alongside 10 relatives in a tragic airstrike on her family home in northern Gaza on the day following the documentary's selection for ACID Cannes, documents the devastating impact of Israel's war on the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli military, accused by media freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) of carrying out a "massacre" of Palestinian journalists, claimed it had targeted a Hamas member. In a statement to AFP, the Cannes Film Festival expressed their sorrow and shock at this tragic event, which has moved the whole world.

In the film, Hassouna suggests that she would attend the premiere if she was allowed to return to Gaza afterward. Just before her death, she posted on social media, "If I die, I want a loud death. I don’t want to be just breaking news, or a number in a group."

Farsi, heartbroken by Hassouna's demise, has remarked that she was "such a light, so talented." The ACID festival, too, honored the young woman, noting her "life force seemed like a miracle."

RSF condemned the death, stating, "Her name joins those of nearly 200 journalists killed in 18 months. This carnage must stop."

Meanwhile, in another blockbuster news, Palestinian twins Tarzan and Arab Nasser will present their latest film "Once Upon a Time In Gaza" in the "Un Certain Regard" section at Cannes. This narrative about murder and friendship unfolds in the Gaza Strip affected by ongoing conflict.

The war, instigated by an attack by Hamas militants on Israel in October 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,218 civilians, as per an AFP count based on Israeli government figures. Since then, Israeli forces have reportedly killed over 51,000 people in the Gaza territory, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

In Fatima Hassouna's hometown of Gaza City, she showcased the realities of war through her powerful photography, poetry, and multimedia works. When the film screens in Cannes on May 15, it will be more than a movie—it will be a tribute to the life and legacy of a brave photojournalist who lost her life chronicling the hardships of war and her unwavering commitment to her homeland.

Source:- [1] Encyclopædia Britannica. (2025). Fatima Hassouna. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fatima-Hassouna- [2] The Guardian. (2025, April 17). Fatima Hassouna: ‘If I die, I want a loud death’. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/17/fatima-hassouna-palestinian-photographer-killed-in-gaza-war- [3] Reuters. (2025, April 19). ACID Cannes says life of slain Palestinian journalist, in film, is 'a miracle'. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/acid-cannes-says-life-slain-palestinian-journalist-film-miracle-2025-04-19/- [4] NBC News. (2025, April 17). Fatima Hassouna, 25, Palestine's Brave Young Photojournalist, Killed in Gaza. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fatima-hassouna-25-palestine-s-brave-young-photojournalist-killed-n1525115

The tragic death of Fatima Hassouna, a Palestinian photojournalist from Gaza City, has been a major topic in the general news and war-and-conflicts sections, as her life was highlighted in the poignant film "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk" at the ACID Cannes.
The moving documentary, which features heartfelt conversations between Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and Fatima Hassouna, showcases the devastating impact of Israel's war on the Palestinian territory, a theme that has been prevalent in the political and media freedom circles.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a media freedom group, has condemned Fatima Hassouna's death, stating that her name joins those of nearly 200 journalists killed in 18 months, and calling for an end to the carnage.
Israeli military, accused of carrying out a "massacre" of Palestinian journalists by RSF, claimed it had targeted a Hamas member prior to the tragic airstrike that took Fatima Hassouna's life and the lives of 10 relatives.
In a heartfelt post just before her death, Fatima Hassouna expressed a wish for a loud death and not to be just breaking news or a number in a group, mirroring her unwavering commitment to her homeland and her craft.
Despite her untimely demise, Fatima Hassouna's life and work continue to inspire, with her film serving as a tribute to her bravery and dedication in chronicling the hardships of war in Gaza.