This year’s festival will feature a diverse selection of eight feature films and documentaries, along with 13 short films organized into two distinct programs.

Reel Palestine, the annual film festival based in the UAE that highlights Palestinian narratives through independent and alternative cinema, is back for its 11th edition. Taking place at Cinema Akil in Alserkal Avenue, the festival aligns with the Quoz Arts Fest, presenting an exciting array of films, Q&A sessions, workshops, and a vibrant souk.

This year’s festival honors Hani Jawhareih (1936–1976), a pioneer of Palestinian cinema, by showcasing films that embody his principles and lasting impact on storytelling.

The festival kicked off with To a Land Unknown directed by Mehdi Fleifel. Other notable films include A State of Passion, a new documentary by Carol Mansour (Aida Returns), which chronicles Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah’s experiences in Gaza’s emergency rooms during the Israel-Gaza War. The Academy Award-shortlisted From Ground Zero, featuring 22 short films captured over 11 months in Palestine, will also make its UAE premiere.

Highlighted premieres include Laila Abbas’s Thank You for Banking with Us and Goran Hugo Olsson’s documentary Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989, which examines decades of media coverage of the conflict through archival footage. Additional films in the lineup include Rashid Masharawi’s Passing Dreams, Piero Usberti’s Voyage Into Gaza, and Mohamed Jabaly’s Life is Beautiful.

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