‘Voice of Hind Rajab’ director addresses hate campaign on new film
‘Voice of Hind Rajab’ received roaring 23-minute standing ovation on its premiere at Venice
The powerful movie voicing the suffering of a child in the Middle East, directed by French-Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, has sparked a hate campaign.
The Voice of Hind Rajab, when it premiered in the main competition of the Venice Film Festival, was honoured with a 23-minute standing ovation on September 3, 2025.
The director is among the strong contenders for the festival's Golden Lion, to be awarded on Saturday.
After the movie debuted on Wednesday night until the next day, producers — including famous Hollywood names Brad Pitt and Joaquin Phoenix — had their mailboxes flooded with "thousands and thousands" of intimidating messages, Ben Hania told AFP.
The director noted that a similar message was repeatedly sent, and it was “super intimidating.”
The movie covers the last minutes of a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in the Middle East conflict last year while struggling to escape her city with her family.
The movie included real-life recordings of the telephone calls she made to the Red Crescent rescue service.
Ben Hania obtained the audio from the rescue service with the permission of Hind Rajab’s mother, to dramatise the movie "very close to what they experienced," as the director said.
Ben Hania, after hearing about Hind Rajab's death in January 2024, felt "a lot of anger, a lot of despair, but also a sense of 'What can I do?'" she told AFP.
Cast members told a press conference they felt it was their "duty" to make the film.
The Voice of Hind Rajab received strong reviews, with critics citing its emotionally devastating audio recordings, although some pointed to a moral grey area in their use.
Regardless, "I didn't make this film to keep people comfortable in their seats," Ben Hania shared with the outlet.
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