Farah Nabulsi's 'The Teacher' wins big at Saudi awards festival

The Teacher, a movie by British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi, won the Jury Prize at this year’s Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi last week.

Palestinian Saleh Bakri, who plays the lead role in the film, was also awarded the Best Actor accolade on the night. Nabulsi accepted the prize on his behalf as he was not able to leave the occupied West bank to attend the ceremony. Speaking on his behalf she said: “I know if he was here before you, he would not hesitate for a second to say stop the genocide in Gaza. Stop the killing of our brothers and sisters and children in Gaza.” Her words were met with warm and impassioned applause in the Ritz-Carlton Theatre.

❝Gazze'deki kardeşlerimizi ve çocuklarımızı öldürmeyi durdurun❞

➡️ 3. Red Sea Film Festivali ödül töreninde "The Teacher" filmindeki rolüyle "En İyi Oyuncu" ödülünü alan Filistinli Saleh Bakri törene katılamadı. Ödülü filmin yönetmeni Farah Nabulsi aldı ve oyuncunun yerine bir… pic.twitter.com/NPiDbZ8OAU

— AA Kültür Sanat (@aakultursanat) December 9, 2023

The film showcases a Palestinian schoolteacher’s struggle to reconcile his risky commitment to political resistance with the chance of a new relationship with volunteer-worker Lisa and his emotional support for one of his students, Adam.

Palestinian Mouna Hawa was also honoured on the night, received the Best Actress award for her role in Inshallah a Boy, about the plight of women in Jordan who are forced to relinquish their rights to property to male members of their families.

READ: The Gaza war: International selectivity and double standards