Overview
- The inaugural Gaza International Festival for Women's Cinema is scheduled for Oct. 26–31 in Deir El-Balah.
- Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab will open the event with its Middle East premiere after winning Venice’s Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize.
- The program features nearly 80 documentaries, shorts, and fiction features from 28 countries that spotlight women’s lives and struggles.
- German filmmaker Monica Maurer serves as honorary president, with Céline Sciamma chairing the fiction jury and Annemarie Jacir leading the documentary jury alongside international members.
- Founded by Palestinian filmmaker Ezzaldeen Shalh, the festival plans improvised screenings in challenging conditions and ties its start date to Palestinian Women’s Day.