Gaza Celebrates with a Grand Festival, Boosted by Hollywood's Backing - Festival arrives in Gaza, backed by Hollywood
In the heart of the Venice Film Festival, a new film has caused a significant stir – "The Voice of Hind Rajab," a documentary-drama co-produced by Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix. Directed by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, the film tells the final moments of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab's life in the Gaza Strip.
The film, which is part of the competition, marks the first time the Gaza conflict takes center stage at an A-list festival. Central to the film is a real phone recording of Hind speaking with Palestinian Red Crescent volunteers for about three hours. The film suggests that Hind and parts of her family were killed by Israeli forces, a claim that has sparked intense debate.
Israel and the German government have rejected the genocide accusation. Israel claims it seeks to dismantle the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas, not to destroy the Palestinian people. The Israeli military denies carrying out the attack and states that no troops were present at the time. However, reports suggest that rescuers, who had coordinated for hours, were reportedly killed on their way to Hind Rajab.
The film team used the press conference to issue a political appeal. Kaouther Ben Hania said, "Enough of this genocide." Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, who star in the film, have been vocal about their support for Israel in the past. However, their presence at the festival was met with protests from pro-Palestinian activists, who called for their exclusion.
Gadot had expressed solidarity with Israeli victims after the Hamas terror attack in October 2023 and called for the release of Israeli hostages. Butler had also publicly expressed support for Israel. They were not expected in Venice, and their management did not respond to requests for comment.
Julian Schnabel, director of the film "In The Hand of Dante," scheduled to premiere after "The Voice of Hind Rajab," declined to comment on "Hind Rajab" and the debate over the Gaza conflict at the festival. Schnabel, however, defended his choice of actors, stating, "I think there's no reason to boycott artists. I chose these actors for their acting abilities, and they've done extraordinary work in the film."
The film premiered on Wednesday at the Venice Film Festival, promising to continue the ongoing dialogue about the complexities of the Gaza conflict.
