Origin: Tunisia, France | Documentary | Director: Kaouther Ben Hania, | 89 minutes

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'The Voice of Hind Rajab', created by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, tells the story
of the child who became a symbol for Palestinian suffering when she was killed by the IDF
last year, after being trapped in a car with dead relatives for hours.

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania's latest work, "The Voice of Hind Rajab," will
premiere in competition at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, as reported by Deadline.
The film – which tells the story of 5-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza by Israeli
tank fire early last year – was described by festival head Alberto Barbera as one of the most
moving in the lineup, predicting it would leave a lasting impact on both audiences and critics.
Ben Hania, who has previously been nominated twice for an Academy Award, said she was
compelled to make the film after hearing the harrowing 70-minute emergency call made by 5-
year-old Rajab as she waited for help in Gaza. "I had a physical reaction, like the ground
shifted under me," the filmmaker said in a statement. "I couldn't carry on as planned. I had to
make this film."

The film was shot in a single location in Tunisia and built around the real audio recording of
Hind's final call for help. According to Ben Hania, she deliberately chose to avoid graphic
depictions of violence, instead focusing on "the waiting, the fear, the unbearable sound of
silence when help doesn't come." It was completed in just 12 months with a team that includes
producers James Wilson ("The Zone of Interest") and Odessa Rae ("Navalny").

"Sometimes, what you don't see is more devastating than what you do," said Ben Hania.
"Cinema can preserve a memory. Cinema can resist amnesia. May Hind Rajab's voice be
heard."
On January 29, 2024, Hind Rajab became a symbol of Palestinian suffering during Israel's
military campaign in Gaza when her family's vehicle was shelled while fleeing Gaza City.
Trapped in the car, she was stranded among five dead relatives and a 15-year-old cousin. The
cousin called the Palestinian Red Crescent Society for help before succumbing to her injuries;
Rajab remained on the line for three hours. Two weeks later, Rajab and her six relatives were
found dead in the car, which was riddled with 335 bullet holes, following an Israeli
withdrawal from the area.
The ambulance dispatched to rescue her was also found riddled with tank fire, with two
medics inside discovered dead. Investigations by Forensic Architecture and several news
outlets, including The Washington Post, concluded that Israeli tank fire was responsible for
both attacks - claims Israel has denied.
Hind's mother, Wissam Hamadah, told The National that she was grateful the film would
bring her daughter's voice to a global audience. "Despite the pain and the weight of grief, I
felt that Hind's voice needed to be heard loud and clear," Hamadah said. "We are moved that
this film will be shown at the Venice Film Festival. As a mother, nothing will ever heal the
wound of losing my daughter. But knowing that her voice will now echo across the world
gives me strength."
Author: Rachel Fink. Source: Haaretz, 23 July 2025.

The movie will debut in Competition at Venice Film Festival 2025.