Enjoying the show: Gazans go to the movies for first time in 20 years

About 150 Palestinians took their seats last week inside the main hall of the Red Cross Association in Central Gaza and watched the first cinematic film displayed in Gaza for 20 years, the Huffington Post reported.

Oversized Coat which was produced and directed in 2013 by Jordan-based Palestinian director Nawras Abu Saleh and depicts Palestinian life between 1987 and 2011 was aired.

Tickets cost 10 shekels ($2.5) each.

According to Huffington Post, the last time Gaza had a cinema was in 1996 when three theatres were torched by angry Palestinians in the wake of a Palestinian Authority crackdown on protestors who took part in the funeral of Hamas member Nasr Sallouha after he was assassinated by the PA.

Theatre director Basel Atwan said: “Gaza is hungry for cinemas.”

Husam Salem from Ein Media, the company which sponsored the film, said that they decided to display two films a week. “At first, we decided to display one film, but after the increasing demand, we decided to display two films.”

He added that any films which will be aired must respect cultural norms as per the rules set by the interior ministry in Gaza.

“Until now, we did not need any special permission so far as all the films, which had been displayed so far, were Palestinian films and produced by Palestinians about the Palestinian resistance,” he said.