The Palestinian Film Festival Amsterdam was born from a grassroots initiative with a commitment to centre Palestinian voices on a vibrant platform. Since 2015, the PFFA’s mission is to amplify the cinematographic storytelling and artistry of both emerging and veteran Palestinian directors.

Approaching its ninth year, the 2024 PFFA will be held at five Amsterdam cinemas from October 10-13. As we prepare for the upcoming edition, our dedication to preserve the only Palestinian film festival in the Benelux is stronger than ever. Alongside a diverse selection of films, featuring experimental shorts, drama features, documentaries and animations, the 2024 PFFA highlights Dissident Voices, with a special focus on Gaza and Queer Palestinian Cinema. As an extension of last year’s Nakba commemoration, this year’s artist talks and fringe events will reflect the current context that we find ourselves in.

Ventilator Cinema Shorts Programme #2: Moonscape

1. FILM TITLE: Mariam 

Director: Dana Durr
Year of production: 2020
Duration: 5 mins.
Spoken language: English
Subtitles: English
Description: 

MARIAM (2020), directed by Dana Durr, is an animated short that follows a woman's journey to find strength within herself through her culture and heritage after the loss of her cherished paradise. As she witnesses the destruction of a beloved tree, a broad and unbreakable bond is illustrated through motifs of olive trees and tatreez embroidery in this heartfelt film about the unity of people and their land.

2. FILM TITLE: Roof Knocking

Director: Sina Salimi
Year of production: 2017
Duration: 12 mins
Spoken language: English
Subtitles: English
Website: https://www.sinasalimifilms.com/

Description: ROOF KNOCKING (2017), directed by Sina Salimi, brings us into the home of a woman preparing a meal for her family in war-stricken Gaza during the month of Ramadan. Suddenly she receives a phone call from an Israeli soldier, alerting her of an imminent bombing of her building in ten minutes.

3. FILM TITLE: Wadi Al-Salib

Director: Bushra Barghouthi
Year of production: 2022
Duration: 12 mins
Spoken language: Arabic
Subtitles: English

Description: WADI AL-SALIB: TWO MINUTES (2022), directed by Bushra Barghouthi, looks at Israel’s annual Yom HaShoah siren, which brings the entire country to a standstill for two minutes. As Israeli drivers and passengers pause in solemn remembrance, Barghouthi’s work reflects on broader chronicles of these moments of silence, juxtaposing them with the collective memories and histories that linger in the Wadi Al-Salib neighbourhood.

4. FILM TITLE: Hide & Seek

Director: Rami Abbas
Year of production: 2024
Duration: 24 mins
Spoken language: None
Subtitles: English
Description: HIDE & SEEK (2024), directed by Rami Abbas, is an animated short film that follows a child and his fish as they navigate the devastation of war. The film, divided into six chapters, captures the child’s journey from his war-torn town to the coast, highlighting the physical and psychological impacts of conflict. In paralleling the experiences of war in Syria and Palestine, the film underscores the profound effects of war on children. 

5. FILM TITLE: Strawberry
Director: Aida Kaadan
Year of production: 2017
Duration: 16 mins
Spoken language: Arabic
Subtitles: English

Description: STRAWBERRY (2017), directed by Aida Ka’adan, follows Samir, a 43-year-old shoe shop owner in Ramallah, who has never seen the sea. Determined to fulfil this lifelong dream, he decides to sneak past the Israeli border with a group of Palestinian construction workers. However, instead of reaching the sea, he finds himself at a construction site, where a young worker named Anas asks him to help with the labour. The film captures the enduring struggle for simple pleasures amid the realities of life under occupation.

6. FILM TITLE: Moonscape

Director: Mona Benyamin
Year of production: 2020
Duration: 17 mins
Spoken language: Arabic
Subtitles: English
Website: Moonscape (2020) — Mona Benyamin 

Description: MOONSCAPE (2020), directed by Mona Benyamin, is a short-film-turned-music-video performed as a duet between a male and female singer in Arabic. The song poignantly tells the story of Dennis M. Hope, who, in 1980, declared ownership of the Moon and started the Lunar Embassy — a company that sells real estate on celestial bodies. Through notions of sovereignty, ownership, and the freedom of movement, this clever film highlights the ironies of colonialism.

- Link to website: https://www.thepffa.nl/
- Festival trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ8iusjJ7ew