The 2025 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) officially begins this week. In its 50th year, the festival features a diverse range of films spanning multiple genres, from first-time directors to legendary ones, showcasing a wealth of talent from around the world.
With the ongoing siege and starvation in Gaza and the continued dispossession and violence in the West Bank, the support of Palestine, Palestinian creatives, and Palestinian subject matter should continuously be at the forefront of people’s hearts and minds.
This September, we hope audiences will add the films mentioned below to their TIFF50 watchlists and support them during their time at the festival. If you are unable to attend the festival but still want to support Palestine in other ways, please consider donating or helping in other ways like participating in the BDS movement.
Palestine 36
Filmmaker Annemarie Jacir brings audiences back to Palestine in the 1930s with her latest film, Palestine 36. Focusing on the Palestinian people at a specific turning point in their history as a nation, Jacir tells the story of various individual actions during the British Mandate for Palestine. Navigating the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, the migration of European Jews escaping Nazi persecution, and the British attempting to impose colonial rule.
Showtimes:
- Friday, September 5 at 1:00 p.m.
- Sunday, September 7 at 1:00 p.m.
- Friday, September 12 at 11:15 a.m.
The Voice of Hind Rajab
| Tanit Films)
Academy Award-nominated director Kaouther Ben Hania blends scripted performances and actual voice recordings to tell the shattering true story of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl who was trapped in an automobile that was under fire from the IOF. The tragic event, which occurred on January 29, 2024, shocked the world. Red Crescent volunteers received the desperate call from the terrified child, and to attempt Hind’s rescue, the Red Crescent was forced to go through endless military and government approvals before the rescue attempt could take place.
Showtimes:
- Sunday, September 7 at 9:30 p.m.
- Monday, September 8 at 4:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 13 at 9:30 p.m.
Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk
From filmmaker Sepideh Farsi comes this documentary about 24-year-old photographer Fatma Hassouna from Gaza. With borders closed to journalists, Farsi has a year-long series of video calls with Fatma. Fatma shares her passion for photography, her fiancé, and the dreams she would like to pursue if she weren’t living under a brutal occupation. The film’s title reflects the phrase “put your soul on your hand and walk,” which Fatma used to describe her life living under perpetual bombardment.
Showtimes:
- Wednesday, September 10 at 12:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 11 at 6:25 p.m.
With Hasan in Gaza & It’s So Beautiful Here
As part of the Wavelengths program, With Hasan in Gaza and It’s So Beautiful Here will play together during the festival. From Basma al-Sharif, It’s So Beautiful Here is a short film following a horse ride at dusk on a Gazan farm. The sights and sounds experienced are haunting, giving viewers a small glimpse into the daily experience of life in Gaza.
The short film will be followed by Kamal Aljafari’s With Hasan in Gaza. In 1989, Aljafari was imprisoned by the Israeli Occupation where he met a man named Abderrahim. 12 years later, Aljafari travelled to Gaza with his camcorder in tow, his friend’s name and a photograph. Alongside his local guide, Hasan, the two search for Abderrahim. Along the way, Aljafari captures the daily life in Gaza from smiling faces to children playing to the beautiful landscape – all of which can be wiped away in an instant.
Showtimes:
- Saturday, September 6 at 6:45 p.m.
- Sunday, September 7 at 9:40 p.m.
Muses of Media 
Leave a reply to Aline Bou-Diwan Cancel reply