Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoGAZA / WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: GAZA / WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL
TRT: 09:44
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 01 NOVEMBER 2025, DEIR AL-BALAH CITY, GAZA, PALESTINE
1. Various shots, temporary headquarters of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in Deir al-Balah before the opening of the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival.
2. Various shots, festival’s main banner, which reads: Gaza International Women’s Film Festival – In Partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Culture – First Edition – Under the Theme: ‘Resilient Women in a Time of Extermination’
3. Various shots, audience attending the festival’s opening ceremony
4. Wide shot, banner featuring the UNESCO logo (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
5. Various shots, red carpet as participants arrive at the temporary headquarters of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in Deir al-Balah, hosting the festival’s events
6. Various shots, participants and attendees during the opening of the festival
7. Various shots, the screening of the films participating in the festival
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Naama Al-Masri, Participant, Gaza International Women’s Film Festival:
"Today, through the Gaza Women’s Cinema Festival, the Palestinian woman demonstrates through her resilience that she is the pillar of every place we turn to. We used to say that the woman is the pillar of the home, but today, after the extermination war, she has become the pillar of the tent, the pillar of patience and steadfastness, and the pillar of resistance on the ground, facing all the hardships of life that we never imagined a Palestinian woman would endure. Speaking as a woman who has lived through these conditions, I speak today as one of those women who have endured an unbearable life. Today, we shake off the dust of extermination and come to this festival to raise the voice of women, and to affirm that Palestinian women have for decades participated in all aspects of life, and even after the war of extermination, they remain active in the revival of life across all fields."
9. Various shots, screening of the films participating in the festival
10. Various shots, audience interacting with the film screenings
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Hala Dhaher, Executive Director, Youth, Culture, and Development Authority:
"Today, I was invited by the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival team to present one of the winners of the Bronze Orange Award, which went to the Egyptian film ‘He Enters the Sea Laughing,’ directed by Noha Adel. We celebrate this festival in Gaza, a place that has endured extermination amid war and killings, which reflects the resilience of the Palestinian people. Palestinian women, despite displacement and forced migration, remain capable of achieving miracles, maintaining their steadfastness and resilience even in the darkest times of war."
12. Various shots, screening of the festival’s participating films
13. Various shots, red carpet at the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival.
14. Various shots, festival winners being announced
15. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Rabab Khamis, Film Director, Participant in the Gaza International Women’s Film Festival:
"I filmed during the war and produced a film, and it was personally challenging because the basic necessities of life, especially for women, were not available. It was difficult to balance my work with the demands of daily life and family during the war, due to electricity and water outages, which are extremely challenging for women during wartime."
16. Various shots, the moment of announcing the festival winners
17. Various shots, screening of the festival’s participating films
The Gaza International Women’s Film Festival concluded its inaugural edition on Saturday (1 Nov) in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, in partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Culture. The event highlighted Palestinian women’s issues and celebrated their resilience in the face of war.
Naama Al-Masri, a festival participant, said the first edition, held under the theme Resilient Women in a Time of Extermination, aimed to showcase the stories of Palestinian women after two years of war. She added, “today, through the festival, women assert through their resilience that they are the pillar of life, the pillar of patience and resistance, and the pillar of revival within Palestinian society.”
Hala Dhaher, Executive Director of the Youth, Culture, and Development Authority, emphasized the festival’s role in strengthening Palestinian women’s resilience, highlighting the Egyptian film He Enters the Sea Laughing by director Noha Adel, which won the Bronze Orange Award.
She said, “today, we celebrate in Gaza, a place that has endured war and killings. This reflects the Palestinian woman’s ability to persevere and achieve remarkable feats despite harsh conditions.”
Director Rabab Khamis spoke about the significant challenges she faced while filming her movie during the war, explaining that electricity and water outages, along with the difficulty of balancing work and family life, made the process extremely challenging for women amid the conflict.
The festival concluded by presenting a series of films that highlight Palestinian women’s experiences, aiming to shed light on their resilience and vital roles in society despite the hardships of war and daily life.
