Introduction to the Struggles of Filmmakers in the Gaza Region
It remains unclear whether the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump will mark a turning point in the war in Gaza. However, filmmakers from the region will probably still have difficulty seeing their stories told internationally.
Obstacles to International Release
The obstacles to international release were rarely high for both Palestinian and Israeli directors. Films that win big prizes at top festivals or even take Oscars home still have difficulty finding companies to bring them to cinemas, especially in countries – such as the USA and Germany – in which the debate about Gaza is particularly polarized.
No US Distributor for the Oscar Winner Film
When "No Other Land" won the Oscar in 2025 for the best documentary, victory would have had to publish worldwide. Instead, the film – which documents the forced expulsion of the Palestinians in the West Bank – could not secure a US dealer. The filmmakers, a collective of Israeli and Palestinian activists, finally released the film themselves. US demonstrations confronted protests and political setbacks, but the film played over $2 million at the box office until the end of March.
Similar Obstacles for Other Filmmakers
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has similar obstacles with "The Voice of Hind Rajab", a dramatization of the true story of a 5-year-old girl who was killed in Gaza by Israeli armed forces and the desperate attempt by Red Crescent rescue workers. The film pulled a 24-minute standing ovation in Venice and won the festival’s silver lions. It also has prominent backing, with Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix committed as executive producers for the film. At the moment, no US or German dealer has come on board to publish "The Voice of Hind Rajab".
Pressure on Filmmakers
"There are not many distributors who are ready to take these films to risks because they are political and take an attitude," says Hamza Ali, co-founder of Watermelon Pictures, a US sales company that has published documentaries from Gaza topics. Watermelon has come on board with larger companies that are not ready to improve to publish two large new Palestinian films: Annemarie Jacir’s historical drama "Palestine 36", the country’s Oscar, and Cherien Dabis’ Sundance Hit "All That Allear", a multi-generation Palestinian drama.
Pressure on Israeli Filmmakers
It is not just Palestinian stories that get pushback. At this year’s International Film Festival in Toronto, Barry Avrich’s Israeli documentary "The Road Bivew Us: The Ultimate Rescue" was a retired general who resolved his family from a kibbutz after he was reunited by Hamas on October 7, 2023, before they were resumed after protests. It won the People’s Choice Award of the festival. Israeli filmmakers feel the pressure from and outside the country both in and outside the country.
Boycotts and Funding Issues
At the beginning of September, a variety of Hollywood insiders, including Oscar winner Olivia Colman, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, and Emma Stone, signed a promise that they would boycott Israeli film institutions and companies that "are involved in" genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian population. "It has become much more difficult to make co-productions with France, Germany, Canada-countries with which we often make films," said Assaf Amir, chairman of the Israeli Academy for Film and Television and describes the fights of Israeli filmmakers to receive funds for new films.
Government Targeting the Domestic Film Industry
At the same time, the Israeli government has targeted the domestic film industry that is largely left of the middle and the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is often heavily criticized. When Shai Carmeli-Pollak’s "The Sea" won Israel’s top film Honor, the Ophir Award for the best film made it to be the official Oscar entry of the State Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced that they can reduce all public funds for the awards and to describe the victory. The feature follows a 12-year-old Palestinian boy who risks his life, military control points and the police to make it to a beach in Tel Aviv and see the sea for the first time.
Silencing Voices
In a statement, Zohar said that the negative representation of Israeli soldiers through the film was a "blow in the face of the Israeli citizens". From the next year, the Ophir Awards, according to Zohar, will no longer be financed by the money of taxpayers. "The Israeli government is aiming for votes that oppose them and tries to silence these voices," said Amir. But he added that the selection of "The Sea" like Israel’s Oscar candidate recalls that the industry does not give up. "The fact that the Israeli community has selected this film shows that there is still hope for dialogue," said Amir. "And it’s not just hope: we are still fighting."
