DUBAI: For some, going to the cinema is just a weekend activity, but for the organizers behind indie film festival Reel Palestine, cinema is all about mirroring society and sparking conversations in the local community.
Reel Palestine returned for its 10th edition as part of Dubai's AlQuoz Arts Festival which kicked off on Jan. 26 and will run until Feb. 4.
Arab News sat down with the director of the film festival, Khalid Al-Sabi, who described Reel Palestine as “inspiring.”
“Real Palestine started ten years ago by a group of volunteers who wanted to create a space for Palestinian voices. It started off as a grassroots project, small team, small audience, and grew to become one of the biggest Palestinian film festivals in the region,” said Al-Sabi.
The Reel Palestine lineup screens at Cinema Akil, which is in Dubai’s artsy Al-Quoz district.
Reel Palestine returned for its 10th edition as part of Dubai's AlQuoz Arts Festival which kicked off on Jan. 27 and will run until Feb. 4. (Supplied)
The film house was launched by Butheina Kazim in 2014 and is now the only independent cinema house in the GCC.
“We always try to bring the latest Palestinian films that have been produced. Sometimes we don't find a big selection of films just because of production cycles in Palestine, but we always integrate programming that is in response to certain things that are happening,” explained Al-Sabi.
The 2024 edition of the festival includes films centered around global solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
“One of the films featured this year is R21 AKA Restoring Solidarity, by Mohanad Yacubi, and it talks about solidarity of the Japanese people with the Palestinian cause,” said Al-Sabi.
R21 AKA Restoring Solidarity tells the story of an undelivered letter written by a Japanese activist that was lost on its way and found by a Palestinian filmmaker after 30 years. (Supplied)
Al-Sabi highlighted the role cinema has in mirroring society and current events.
“Our type of cinema is always a response to certain issues and topics that are happening. Whether it's social issues, gender issues and other things that are happening around the world, our films touch the human mind and evoke emotions. This is the type of cinema that we do,” he explained.
This year’s festival is taking place as conflict rages on in Gaza. Ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza have seen 27,000 Palestinians killed. Israel’s air and ground operation in Gaza began after a Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that saw 1,200 Israelis killed and more than 200 taken captive, held in return for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
In light of this, the festival’s 2024 slogan is: “For the people of Gaza, for the people of Palestine, for the soul of our souls.”
“This year we changed our program in response to the attack on Gaza by screening films that humanize Palestinians, specifically Gazans after a smear campaign was launched against them dehumanizing Gazans by calling them human animals and saying they're not worthy of living. We try to take Palestinians out of the victim narrative that they are usually put in,” said Al-Sabi.
Among those films was “Gaza Surf Club,” a story about a local surf club team.
“This film shows the human part that a lot of people don't see. A lot of people only see bombings and dead bodies. They see that side of Gaza only. But the biggest side of Gaza and the real side of Gaza is not shown,” he said.
Al-Sabi said this year has been the biggest turn out for the festival yet.
“There's more interest now in learning about Palestine through film and being in touch with the Palestinian narrative from a different lens other than through a news channel. Cinema touches people's minds, feelings and hearts. We aim to provoke and start conversations rather than telling a story in a straightforward manner,” he added.
Al-Sabi welcomed young Palestinian talent and said Reel Palestine is a platform for them to share their stories with the world.
“The path is there, the community is here, pursue your dream, Palestinians are known to defy all odds and you certainly have the support to back you up,” he said.
