Now in its 13th year, the Palestinian Film Festival Australia will return to Melbourne from May 7-11 with a bold program of films that offer a powerful exploration of resilience, love and freedom in the face of ongoing war and dispossession.
“This year’s program is guided by a deep emotional pulse,” say festival director Naser Shakhtour. “It’s about the power of Palestinian cinema to speak from the rubble, to conjure memory and to imagine freedom. These films reflect not just the struggles, but the resilience, beauty, and strength of Palestinian culture.”
The ten-film program will spotlight a selection of both new voices and acclaimed international works, following through on the festival's mission to share Palestinian art and culture with Australian audiences.
Highlights include The Teacher, an emotionally charged drama from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nabulsi about a Palestinian schoolteacher torn between compassion and resistance; To A Land Unknown, which tells the story of two Palestinian friends stranded in Athens and driven to extremes in their quest for escape; and the documentary Yalla Parkour, which explores the powerful connection between a filmmaker and a parkour athlete in Gaza.
The Melbourne leg of the Palestinian Film Festival will be held at Cinema Nova, and you can view the full program and plan your cinema trips over here. It will also travel to Sydney, Canberra, Perth and Brisbane.
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After an unforgettable Melbourne movie experience? From the Melbourne International Film Festival to celebrations of indie, anime, queer and documentary films, there's a festival for every type of movie buff. Check out the festivals coming soon to Melbourne below.
