Two gripping films expose Palestinian loss and resilience on screen
Two powerful films exploring Palestinian life and loss are set to premiere in the coming years. The Voice of Hind (2025) by Kaouther Ben Hania tells the harrowing story of a girl trapped in a bombing raid, while All That We Were (2026) follows a family torn apart across generations. Both films draw from real events and deep emotional struggles. The Voice of Hind centres on a real Palestinian girl named Hind, whose voice is heard from a car where her family was killed in a Gaza bombing. The film follows a Palestinian medical centre’s desperate attempts to reach her, but they must first seek permission from occupying forces. The head of the centre hesitates, recalling past incidents where medics and drivers were killed while waiting for approval.
*All That We Were*, directed by and starring Cherien Dabis, traces the life of Salim, a boy in 1948 who loses his home and land, and later, as a grandfather in 2022, his son. His son, Noor, becomes radicalised after a violent encounter with occupying forces and dies during the 1988 intifada. The film then raises difficult questions when Noor’s parents are asked to donate his organs, forcing them to confront the ethics of such decisions amid conflict. Meanwhile, *The Richest Woman in the World* (2026), a French production by Thierry Klifa, shifts focus to the excesses of France’s elite. The story critiques the cynicism of the economic upper class through the life of a L'Oréal heiress, offering a stark contrast to the struggles depicted in the Palestinian narratives.
These films bring urgent stories to the screen, from the personal tragedies of Palestinian families to the moral dilemmas of war and occupation. The Voice of Hind and All That We Were highlight the human cost of conflict, while The Richest Woman in the World examines privilege and indifference. All three are expected to spark discussions when they release in 2025 and 2026.
