Actor highlights Palestinian journalists’ plight with red-dyed camera at “Palestine 36” premiere
At Friday’s world premiere of Palestine 36 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the historical drama transported audiences to 1930s British-ruled Palestine while also serving as a powerful platform to draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Directed by Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, Palestine 36 had a high-profile premiere at Roy Thomson Hall, attended by Arab and international stars. The cast staged a striking protest on the red carpet, carrying Palestinian flags and signs demanding an end to “the extermination in Gaza.”
Lead actor Karim Daoud Anaya carried a plastic bag filled with fake blood, a camera, and a Palestinian keffiyeh, symbolizing the risks faced by journalists in Gaza. Producer Ossama Bawardi pinned a Palestinian flag to his jacket, and actor Zaid Ghazal raised his hands with the message “Stop the extermination” written on them.
Set during the 1936 Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule, the film follows Yusuf, played by Anaya, as he navigates life between his quiet rural village and the politically charged streets of Jerusalem. As tensions escalate amid growing demands for independence, Yusuf’s journey reflects the broader struggle for Palestinian sovereignty. Jacir described the film as “intimate, personal, and realistic,” highlighting the life-altering decisions individuals were forced to make. She called it “the hardest adventure” of her career, coinciding with a year “full of blood and violence.”
The film incorporates rare archival footage from the 1930s, digitally recolored to reinforce the message that “the struggle for Palestinian sovereignty continues today.” Part of the production was moved to Jordan due to the 2023 Gaza war, with archival material helping depict locations that were destroyed and no longer exist.
Palestine 36 is an international co-production involving Palestine, the UK, France, Denmark, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, with Jordanian support from Roya Media Group alongside major global institutions including the British Film Institute (BFI), BBC Film, the Doha Film Institute, the Red Sea Fund, the Jordan Film Fund, and the Royal Film Commission.
The ensemble cast includes Oscar-winning British actor Jeremy Irons, Hiam Abbass, Kamel El Basha, Saleh Bakri, Yasmine Al Massri, and Dhafer L’Abidine, alongside emerging talent. Other attendees at the premiere, including Zafer Al Abidin and Karim Daoud, contributed to a prominent Arab presence on TIFF’s red carpet.
