Gaza's open-air cinema showcases local talent

Muhammad Al-Sawaf, a Palestinian director, says it is good that the local audience is able to watch homegrown talent

by Mohammed Asad

Gaza’s open-air cinema showcases local talent in Gaza, July 2023 [Mohammed Asad/MiddleEastMonitor]

Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip have been enjoying films on the coast after an outdoor cinema was set up. Ali Muhanna, who is in charge of the project, set up the cinema on the beach in Gaza to promote the role of Palestinian directors who worked on the films being aired. A variety of films were showcased, including some that have been nominated for various festivals abroad, others that won awards and some which have sparked controversy. They vary in their discussion of Palestinian reality, with some tackling the issue of displaced Palestinians, the occupation’s prisons and confrontations with the occupation over the decades, and vary between dramas and documentaries.

Muhammad Al-Sawaf, a Palestinian director, says it is good that the local audience is able to watch homegrown talent. Adding that this is even more special as Gaza hasn’t had a cinema in over 35 years. His film ‘Al-Huroob‘ (the Escape), which is being aired as part of this initiative, discusses how Palestinian detainees try to escape from the arbitrary Israeli detention, thus tackling a national issue through entertainment, he says.

Gaza’s open-air cinema showcases local talent in Gaza, July 2023 [Mohammed Asad/MiddleEastMonitor]

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