THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB
Website: https://www.thevoiceofhindrajabfilm.com/home/.
Tunisia, France | 2025 | 89m | Arabic, English
Directed by: Kaouther Ben Hania
Starring:
- Saja Kilani
- Motaz Malhees
- Amer Hlehel
- Clara Khoury
On January 29, 2024, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of a Gaza neighbourhood. A family got into their car to flee their nearby home, but they didn’t make it far before their vehicle was riddled with military gunfire.
This docu‑drama tells the true story of a 6‑year‑old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who became trapped in that car after the attack that killed every family member with her. She called first responders for help, and the film follows the real‑time sequence of events as the Palestine Red Crescent Society tried everything they could to reach her while she remained on the phone, surrounded by ongoing military fire. Hind tells the responders that her family is “sleeping” and that her mother isn’t with them.
What gives the film its extraordinary emotional force is its grounding in real events and real audio. Every call we hear comes directly from the Palestine Red Crescent Society—and the small, trembling voice on the line belongs to Hind herself.
While Hind is on the phone, three responders at the Red Crescent office—Motaz Malhees, Toronto’s own Saja Kilani, and Clara Khoury—take turns speaking to the terrified child. Their collective fear grows with every passing minute. They struggle to contain emotions that swing from anger to helplessness to heartbreak as she pleads to be rescued. Meanwhile, their supervisor (Amer Hlehel) battles layers of bureaucracy, trying to secure permission to dispatch paramedics safely. An ambulance is only eight minutes away, yet faces an insurmountable series of obstacles on the way.
The responders try everything, clinging to hope that they can reach her in time. But tragically, they never do—and the entire team is devastated by the system’s failure to save her.
Notably, during filming, the actors repeated nearly every line spoken by their real‑life counterparts. In their earpieces, they heard Hind’s actual voice—just as the audience does. Hind herself is only seen in a single smiling photograph and brief archival footage of her playing in the Gaza sand.
Accolades:
- Premiered at Venice 2025 and received a 23‑minute standing ovation
- Won the Silver Lion and six parallel awards
- Official Selection at TIFF50 The Voice of Hind Rajab
- Became a 2026 Golden Globe nominee for Best Motion Picture (Non‑English Language)
- Academy Award nominee for 2026 for Best International Feature Film representing Tunisia
