Wri/Dir: Kaouther Ben Hania. Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury | Drama
Best known for Four Daughters and The Man Who Sold His Skin Kaouther Ben Hania’s new film is an exploration of the space between fiction and documentary in a film about remembrance.
The Tunisian director casts Palestinian actors who bring to life recorded voices of those on a desperate mission to save the titular Hind Rajab and preserve her memory forever after the tragic events of the Hamas attack on Israel which gave rise to the subsequent war in Gaza. The death of a child is devastating and the director makes this a moving experience if ever there was one and Ben Hania’s ability to meld reality and into the documentary sequences is skilfully done.
After celebrating its world premiere in Official Competition at the Venice Film Festival, followed by its North American premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, the film will continue to screen at major international, UK & Irish festivals this autumn, including the upcoming London Film Festival where it will screen in Competition.
The film has been selected by Tunisia as its official entry for the Foreign Language Academy Award next year.