Gaza has been wreaked with havoc and devastation for years and its citizens have lost all hope of ever facing any normal circumstances ever again. Similarly, cinema in Gaza has deteriorated over the years as theaters were burnt down.
However, the Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival, that opened at a recently renovated culture center on Thursday, is a ray of light for the city and is bringing a revival in cinema culture again. Approximately half of the films showcased at it are about Israel’s decades-long conflict with the Palestinians, and the rest are about human rights.
The festival’s executive manager, Montaser Al-Sabe, said that he was proud of the festival in Gaza and hoped cinemas would open up again.
“We have cinemas in Gaza that are closed. Open them,” he said.
Among the screened films was Eleven Days in May which was co-directed by Gaza director Mohammed Sawwaf and a British director. It tells the story of 66 children killed in the 11-day war between Israel and Gaza militants in May 2021.
Sawwaf said, “We focused on their beautiful memories, their jokes, and their dreams”.
He added,
Cinema is a civilised and important means to get the voice of children and the people of Gaza to the world.
However, for some, the festival is all about going to the cinema and watching a movie with loved ones. The new normal is good for Gazans to have a ray of hope after a long battle with darkness.
