Gaza Women’s Film Festival adopts ‘Women Creating Life from Death’ theme
Second edition will return to Gaza in October after European promotional tour highlighting Palestinian cinema and women's resilience
GAZA, Palestine (MNTV) — The second Gaza International Women’s Film Festival has unveiled its official poster and launched a promotional campaign across Europe ahead of its return to Gaza from Oct. 26 to 31 under the theme “Women Creating Life from Death.”
Festival organizers said the six-day event, which coincides with Palestinian Women’s Day, will be held in the Central Gaza Governorate and will celebrate the resilience of Palestinian women through cinema while promoting cultural exchange with filmmakers from around the world.
The official poster, released through the festival’s social media platforms, features a blindfolded woman wrapped in strips of film alongside traditional Palestinian symbols and doves representing peace.
Festival founder and president Ezzedeen Shallah described the event as a tribute to the determination of women, emphasizing that cinema remains an important means of preserving memory, identity and justice.
The promotional campaign began on July 16 in Rome and includes cultural events across Italy aimed at expanding the international presence of Palestinian cinema and attracting filmmakers to the festival.
Organized in collaboration with Italian filmmaker Milena Fiore, the tour has featured screenings at several cultural events, including Rome’s Villetta Social LAB, the Cinema del Reale Festival in Lecce, the SiciliAmbiente Film Festival in San Vito Lo Capo and an event in Viterbo showcasing Palestinian cinema.
The campaign will continue on Aug. 4 in Rome during the International Short Film Festival with an event titled “From Gaza with Love” before concluding on Sept. 11 in Venice with “Time Speaks of Gaza,” featuring Italian political scientist Luciana Castellina.
Alongside film screenings, the festival will conduct a six-month filmmaking training program for Palestinian women in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Culture.
The free initiative will provide instruction in screenwriting, directing, cinematography, editing and film production through workshops led by Palestinian, Arab and international filmmakers from Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Cuba and Sweden.
Short films produced during the program will be screened during the festival and submitted to international film festivals, providing participants with opportunities to showcase their work to global audiences.
The festival will feature feature-length films, short fiction films and documentaries focusing on women’s experiences and issues from different parts of the world.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
