‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ gets record 24-minute ovation at Venice

“The Voice of Hind Rajab,” a film recounting the harrowing story of a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2025, receiving a record-breaking 24-minute standing ovation—the longest in the festival’s history to date. The emotional response from the packed Sala Grande audience, which included tears and chants of “Free Palestine,” signals the film as a frontrunner for the prestigious Golden Lion award, which will be announced on September 6.reuters

Directed by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, the 90-minute drama centers on the desperate final hours of Hind Rajab, who was trapped in a bullet-riddled car with the bodies of six deceased family members after Israeli tank fire struck their vehicle in Gaza City on January 29, 2024. The film uses actual audio recordings of Hind’s increasingly frantic calls to Palestinian Red Crescent Society operators, with actors portraying the first responders who spent hours trying to coordinate her rescue.hollywoodreporter

Hollywood Support and International Recognition

The production has attracted significant Hollywood backing, with Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producers. Phoenix and Mara, wearing Artists4Ceasefire badges, attended both the press conference and premiere, joining the cast in displaying a large photograph of Hind Rajab on the red carpet.hollywoodreporter

At the film’s press conference earlier Wednesday, Palestinian-Canadian actress Saja Kilani delivered a powerful statement on behalf of the cast and crew, asking “Isn’t it enough? Enough of the mass killing, the starvation, the dehumanization, the destruction, the ongoing occupation”. Kilani emphasized that “Hind’s story carries the weight of an entire people” and represents the voices of thousands of children killed in Gaza.variety

Tunisia has selected “The Voice of Hind Rajab” as its official submission for the Best International Feature category at the Academy Awards, adding to Ben Hania’s previous Oscar nominations for “Four Daughters” and “The Man Who Sold His Skin”.nsnews

The True Story Behind the Film

The film dramatizes the real events of January 29, 2024, when Hind and six family members were fleeing Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood after Israeli evacuation orders. According to investigations, 355 bullets were fired into the family’s black Kia vehicle. Hind’s 15-year-old cousin Layan initially survived and contacted emergency services, but was killed while still on the line with dispatchers.forensic-architecture

After a three-hour wait, the Red Crescent received Israeli clearance to dispatch an ambulance, but contact was lost shortly after the vehicle reached the scene. Twelve days later, Hind’s body was discovered alongside her family members, with the remains of two paramedics found in their destroyed ambulance approximately 50 meters away.reuters

Venice Festival Impact

The emotional premiere left many attendees in tears, with the audience refusing to stop applauding even after theater lights dimmed in an apparent attempt to encourage departure. The film’s Palestinian cast members, including Motaz Malhees who experienced panic attacks during filming while listening to Hind’s real voice recordings, described the production as profoundly emotional.variety

Ben Hania, who put another decade-long project on hold to make this film after hearing Hind’s voice during her “Four Daughters” Oscar campaign, emphasized that “cinema can preserve a memory” and “resist amnesia”. The director stressed that the film aims to humanize those portrayed as “collateral damage” in media narratives about Gaza.reuters

With Venice juries known for their unpredictability, the unprecedented audience response positions “The Voice of Hind Rajab” among the strongest contenders for the Golden Lion, alongside Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” and other competition entries. The film’s impact extends beyond the festival, serving as both artistic achievement and urgent humanitarian testimony.thecinemagroup