AhlulBayt News Agency: A powerful docudrama about the killing of a five-year-old Palestinian girl by Israeli forces during the war on Gaza has won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival.
The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by French-Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, placed second behind Father Mother Sister Brother by American indie director Jim Jarmusch.
The film recounts the true story of Hind Rajab, who was killed while trying to flee Gaza City with her family.
It features real audio from Hind’s prolonged call to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, as she lay trapped in a bullet-riddled car surrounded by her slain relatives.
Hind was eventually killed, along with two ambulance workers who attempted to rescue her.
The film received a 23-minute standing ovation at its premiere and became the most discussed entry at the Venice Lido.
Accepting her award, Ben Hania said Hind’s story represents not only one child’s tragedy but the suffering of an entire people facing genocide.
She stated that while cinema cannot undo the atrocity, it can preserve Hind’s voice and make it resonate globally.
Her voice, Ben Hania added, will echo until justice and accountability are achieved.
Israel’s war on Gaza, which has claimed over 64,000 lives including 18,000 children, loomed heavily over this year’s festival.
Jim Jarmusch, winner of the Golden Lion, wore a badge reading “Enough” to express his opposition to Israel’s siege and bombardment.
Earlier, Jarmusch voiced concern that one of his distributors had financial ties to a company linked to the Israeli military.
His winning film, starring Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, and Tom Waits, explores complex relationships between parents and adult children.
Jarmusch called the award an “unexpected honour” and thanked the jury for recognizing the film’s quiet power.
In other categories, Italy’s Toni Servillo won best actor for his role in La Grazia, while China’s Xin Zhilei won best actress for The Sun Rises On Us All.
Benny Safdie received best director for The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr.
Italy’s Gianfranco Rosi won the special jury award for Below the Clouds, a black-and-white documentary about life in Naples amid natural disasters.
Servillo, during his acceptance speech, praised activists attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza by sea.
He commended their courage in bringing humanity to a land where dignity is constantly violated.
Annapurna Roy, winner of best director in the Horizons section, also addressed the Gaza conflict in her remarks.
Roy, an Indian filmmaker, won for her debut Songs of Forgotton Trees, about two migrant women in Mumbai.
She declared her solidarity with Palestine, saying every child deserves peace and freedom.
Maryam Touzani, winner of the Armani Beauty audience award for Calle Málaga, also spoke out about Gaza.
She asked how many more mothers must lose their children before the horror ends, urging humanity not to be lost.
The Venice Film Festival kicks off the awards season, often predicting Oscar contenders, with past premieres earning over 90 nominations and nearly 20 wins.
Among the films that left Venice without awards were Netflix’s A House of Dynamite, Frankenstein, and Jay Kelly.
Also unrewarded were No Other Choice by Park Chan-wook and Bugonia by Yorgos Lanthimos, despite strong reviews.
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