VENICE:
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania stated on Thursday she hopes the rapturous reception given to her new movie ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ on the Venice Movie Competition would assist carry its harrowing story to audiences worldwide.
Recounting the ultimate hours of a 5-year-old lady from Gaza who died in 2024 after she was trapped in a automobile underneath Israeli hearth, the film drew a 24-minute standing ovation at its premiere on Wednesday — by far the longest to this point this yr.
“It was overwhelming as a result of I did not anticipate that,” Ben Hania informed Reuters. “I am so, so grateful to Venice for the choice (of the movie) and to provide us such an unimaginable starting of the profession of the film.”
The applause solely ended when officers needed to ask the viewers to go away as a result of one other movie was as a consequence of be screened. Amer Hlehel, an actor who performs a Crimson Crescent dispatcher attempting to organise the lady’s rescue, stated he had combined feelings over the thunderous reception.
“There’s a responsible feeling that we’re celebrating whereas individuals are nonetheless affected by hunger and mass killing,” he stated, including that the forged and crew felt they have been “on a mission” to inform Rajab’s story to the remainder of the world.
The lady was attempting to flee Gaza Metropolis on January 29, 2024, when the automobile through which she was driving got here underneath assault by Israeli forces. She survived the preliminary gunfire and pleaded with Crimson Crescent workers — in heart-rending audio used within the movie — to save lots of her.
Israel lastly gave the inexperienced gentle for the rescue after a three-hour wait, however contact with the ambulance crew was minimize shortly after they arrived on the scene. The our bodies of Rajab, a few of her relations and the 2 medics have been discovered days later.
The Israeli forces initially denied that its troops had been inside firing vary of the automobile. Nevertheless, a subsequent UN report blamed Israel. Israel stated this week that the incident was nonetheless underneath overview and declined additional remark.
‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ has but to safe a US distributor, however Ben Hania stated she remained hopeful. Movies essential of Israel can battle to get a broad launch in the USA. A tough-hitting movie concerning the Israeli occupation of the West Financial institution, “No Different Land,” received this yr’s finest documentary function Oscar, however regardless of its essential success, no main US distributor purchased the venture.
Nevertheless, Ben Hania’s movie has attracted some high Hollywood names as government producers, giving it added trade heft, together with actors Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara. “I hope will probably be seen within the US,” Ben Hania stated, noting that Tunisia has already chosen it as its submission for finest worldwide function on the 2026 Academy Awards.
“A very powerful factor is that ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ reaches everyone everywhere in the world and the Oscars and Venice listed below are a fantastic doorway,” she stated, dismissing any suggestion that the movie would possibly show controversial. “The killing of a kid shouldn’t be divisive. It is a crime,” she stated.
