Palestinian Realities I: Gaza

Ayny (2016)

Dir. Ahmed Saleh / 2016 / Animated / 11m

Two young boys run away from their mother's protection and slackline on the danger of war to play music with the instrument they always dreamt to have. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

A Day in the Tent (2024)

Dir. Haneen Koraz / 2024 / Animated / 4m

A charming family of 9 struggle to fulfil their daily chores whilst living in a tent city in Gaza in a time of war. Made by 19 children from the refugee camp in Deir al-Balah (displaced from Gaza City).

Through the Eye of a Needle (2022)

Dir. Shereen Abdul Karim Hassanein / 2022 / Animated / 5m

A personal project with a communal impact, this film aims at transforming individual memories of suffering into a collective memory. It portrays both satirical and realistic scenes from public spaces in Gaza City. The project addresses a range of social issues that have persisted and recurred over the past 15 years, becoming an inseparable part of the city’s fabric and the lives of its residents. It also explores the conceptual landscape of Gaza through the digitization and 3D modeling of these spaces – structures that continue to expand as the blockade endures. This is an attempt to envision how the current natural space might appear.

The Dream Collector (2021)

Dir. Khaled Jarada / 2021 / Animated / 3m

Without dialogue, this film tells an ancient story – a wish you can only whisper to seashells before casting them into the ocean. That is how dreams may come true. But in Gaza, where the sea is closed to dreams, the Dream Collector appeared. He gathered seashells bearing wishes and hung them on his bedroom wall, where hidden hopes turned into paintings. The film was made in 2021 during the Digital Storyboarding workshop at the French Cultural Center in Palestine.

Limitless (2024)

Dir. Amal Al-Nakhala / 2024 / Animated / 5m

The harsh symbolism captures the complexities of truth in Gaza, where nothing is straightforward or easily defined.

Fatality (2025)

Dir. Aboud Nasser / 2025/ Animated / 2m

Using layered, painterly animation and abstracted imagery of military vehicles, the film reflects on the relentless machinery of war and genocide and its dehumanizing force. Based on paintings by Gaza-based Palestinian artist Mohammed Joha.

Zoo (2022)

Dir. Tariq Rimawi / 2022 / Animated / 8m

Wandering through the Worst Zoo in the World, a young boy Sami is looking for his football. The loner finds more than that when he encounters the little tiger Laziz, who follows him on his quest to find a safe place to play. Against all odds, they become friends. But the remnants of war harbor danger.

Nobody (2025)

Dir. Msallam Hdaib / 2025 / Animated / 7m

In war-torn Gaza, a young man’s decapitated head must navigate love, loss, and the haunting question: Can happiness exist when your body—and world—are stripped away? After an airstrike destroys their home, a newlywed husband survives only as a sentient head. Through stylized stop-motion animation, the film follows the protagonist’s surreal journey with his wife and newborn son.

Love & War (2025)

Dir. Rasmi Damo / 2025 / Animated / 5m

Amid the devastation of war in Gaza, Love and War follows a Palestinian family who chooses generosity over fear. The film explores how compassion, solidarity, and cultural identity endure through hardship. A traditional Palestinian folk song underscores the message: unity and shared values are a form of resistance, and humanity survives when love leads the way.