The National Center for Cinema and Image (CNCI) announced on August 27, 2025 that Tunisia would present for the next edition of the Oscars, in the category of best international film, the latest feature film by Kaouther Ben Hania, Hind Rajab’s voice. This choice underlines the growing importance of the director on the international scene and testifies to the Tunisian ambition to shine in the global competition.
Kaouther Ben Hania is not unrelated to the Oscars. She offered Tunisia her first appointment to the Oscar for the best international film with The Man Who Sold His Skin/The Man who sold his skin (2020), who had done his first at the Venice Mostra And had met international critical success. She was then appointed for the best documentary film with Daughters oven/Olfa girls(2023) which was also a historical milestone: it was the First Tunisian film in official competition in Cannes since 1970, Confirming the growing place of the filmmaker on the world scene.
A highly anticipated world premiere in Venice
The voice of Hind Rajab will make its world premiere on September 3, 2025 during the Venice Mostra, in official competition. This selection immediately aroused lively international interest, Accentuated by the participation of large Hollywood figures like Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix and Jonathan Glazer, who joined the project as executive producers. Their support strengthens the importance and the influence of this film, which combines commitment, emotion and universal scope.
Synopsis: the tragic fate of Hind Rajab
Hind Rajab’s voice Tells the tragic fate of Hind Rajab, a six -year -old Palestinian girl, at the heart of the conflict in Gaza. Hind was by car with his family, who was trying to flee the bombings. Israeli shots first cost the lives of several members of his family. In a final gesture of survival, Hind and his cousin managed to contact help by phone. This desperate call was recorded by the Red Crescent and widely disseminated on the Internet, giving a global echo to the horror experienced by Palestinian civilians.
Several days later, the cars of the Rajab family and rescuers were found. On the family’s car, 355 bullet impacts were notedtestifying to the extreme violence that struck this family. Kaouther Ben Hania, through this overwhelming account, exposes the impact of the Palestinian conflict on the lives of children and families, and offers the international public a work that gives voice to those that we rarely hear on the world scene.
Between cinema and commitment
The selection of the film in Venice intervenes in a sensitive political context. A few weeks before the opening of the Mostra, An open letter signed by 1,500 artists called on the festival to take a stand against the current genocide in Gaza and give voice to the Palestinians. The management of the Mostra replied that the programming of Hind Rajab’s voice constituted in itself a position, allowing to highlight an often marginalized Palestinian voice.
Oscar race: calendar and issues
The Tunisian film thus joins the competition for the 2026 Oscars, the first limited list of 15 films of which will be published on December 16, 2025, followed by the final list on January 22, 2026. The 98ᵉ Oscar ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026.
With this feature film, Kaouther Ben Hania confirms her ability to mix artistic requirement, commitment and international scope, by placing Tunisia at the heart of the world cinematographic scene.
In 2025, the price for the best international film was awarded to Brazil for I’m still here by Walter Salles, recalling that the films combining narrative power and universal impact have all their chances in this competition.
Hind Rajab’s voice This promises to be a major cinematographic event, combining emotional force and commitment, and could become a historical milestone in contemporary Tunisian cinema.
Neïla Driss
