Oscar Winner Zoe Saldaña joins Palestinian short film ‘It’s Complicated’

Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldaña has signed on as an executive producer of It’s Complicated, a narrative short film centered on Palestinian womanhood, ahead of its world premiere.

The announcement, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, comes as the film prepares for its debut at the 22nd HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles, running August 13–23.

The Oscar-qualifying event will feature more than 400 short films from around the world.

Written, produced by, and starring US-Palestinian filmmaker Iman Karram, the short is directed by Lebanese-American filmmaker Darine Hotait.

It follows Yara, a Palestinian-American screenwriter in Los Angeles, who begins online Arabic lessons with Hana, a poet and teacher in Gaza played by Jordanian-American actress Dina Shuhaiber.

Their sessions blossom into a profound friendship built on shared ambition, humor, and sisterhood.

When war suddenly tears them apart, Yara confronts grief, diasporic guilt, and the responsibility of using her voice so Hana’s story is not forgotten.

Saldaña, who won an Academy Award in 2025 for her performance in Emilia Pérez, praised the project’s emotional core.

“Iman has made a deeply personal film about identity, grief, sisterhood, and the responsibility artists feel to carry the stories of their communities forward,” she said.

“I was moved by the tenderness of the relationship at the center of the film and by Iman’s commitment to telling a story rooted in Palestinian womanhood with honesty, humor, and heart. I’m proud to support her voice and the team behind It’s Complicated as the film begins its festival journey.”

Karram has described the story as drawn directly from her own life.

“It was inspired by a real relationship with my Arabic tutor that profoundly reshaped my understanding of identity and how I want to use my voice as an artist,” she explained.

“Growing up in the diaspora, it can sometimes feel like you are disconnected from your roots, or even like an imposter within your own community.”

She continued: “What began as online Arabic lessons with Hana grew into a friendship and a Palestinian sisterhood that made me feel truly seen from the other side of the world. She welcomed me into a culture I didn’t grow up experiencing firsthand, but one that has always been an integral part of who I am. She made me feel enough, exactly as I am, and gave me the courage to embrace my voice, stand in my values, and tell the stories that are important to me.”

The producing team includes Karram alongside Alana Duqum, Zoe Marie Jimenez, and Matt Van Tine, with Kais Karram and Zane Karram of Malibu Mutt Studios also involved.

Eli Zavala of Splinter Pictures serves as an additional executive producer.

The film marks a notable collaboration between emerging Palestinian and Arab filmmakers and established Hollywood talent as it heads to the festival circuit.