The 46th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), taking place from November 12 to 21, 2025, will conclude with a moment of profound symbolic and artistic significance for Arab and international cinema. Kaouther Ben Hania’s latest film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, has been selected as the festival’s closing feature. Its screening, marking its African premiere, will give Egyptian audiences the opportunity to discover a work already widely acclaimed on the international stage, which, through its story, carries a universal mission: to amplify the voice of Palestinians living under occupation and facing violence.
This CIFF selection comes after an extraordinary journey. At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, The Voice of Hind Rajab won the prestigious Silver Lion – Grand Jury Prize, one of the most coveted honors in global cinema, as well as six of the eight awards in the parallel sections. Lauded by critics and met with a record-setting standing ovation lasting nearly twenty-four minutes, the film has established itself as one of the year’s most important works. Beyond Venice, the film has been chosen by Tunisia to represent the country at the 2026 Oscars for Best International Feature Film, further consolidating its global recognition and highlighting Kaouther Ben Hania’s role as an ambassador of contemporary Arab cinema.
A Tunisian-French co-production, The Voice of Hind Rajab skillfully blends fiction and documentary, drawing inspiration from heart-wrenching real events. It tells the story of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl trapped in a car under heavy shelling in Gaza after losing her family. During these terrifying moments, Hind manages to contact the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency services, while rescue teams struggle to reach her. The film uses the authentic audio recording of this call, creating a striking cinematic experience where silence, fear, and anticipation become tangible. The child’s voice, fragile yet determined, transforms into a universal symbol of innocence confronted with violence, allowing audiences to feel, through emotion, the reality of millions of Palestinians whose lives are shattered by conflict.
Kaouther Ben Hania has established herself over more than a decade as a leading figure in contemporary Tunisian and Arab cinema. Her films, deeply engaged, explore major human and social issues with sensitivity, often blending fiction and documentary to create cinema that challenges and moves audiences. She is particularly recognized for Beauty and the Dogs (2017), presented at Cannes, which exposed violence against women in Tunisia, and The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020), selected at Venice and nominated for the Oscars. Her documentary Four Daughters (2023), in official competition at Cannes and nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary, illustrates her ongoing interest in telling the stories of individuals facing collective challenges. In each of her films, Kaouther Ben Hania brings to light voices often silenced, transforming personal experiences into universal narratives and offering viewers a profound intellectual and emotional engagement.
Hussein Fahmy, festival president, stated:
“Presenting The Voice of Hind Rajab as this year’s closing film reflects the festival’s deep conviction in cinema’s role as a defender of human causes, and particularly the Palestinian cause. It is a profoundly moving work that demonstrates how art can become a voice for justice and freedom.”
Mohamed Tarek, artistic director, added:
“The selection of Kaouther Ben Hania’s film for the festival finale celebrates the role of Arab cinema in carrying Palestine’s voice to the world and reaffirms that cinema can be a bridge uniting peoples and preserving our shared memory. Its Silver Lion win in Venice further elevates its international significance, and Tunisia’s choice to submit it to the 2026 Oscars confirms its importance and the excellence of Tunisian cinema.”
The screening of The Voice of Hind Rajab at the CIFF 2025 closing reminds everyone of the power of art to confront suffering and bear witness to injustice. Through Hind’s voice, and the voices of all children whose childhoods have been stolen by violence, the film demonstrates that cinema can transform a tragic story into light, give voice to the voiceless, keep hope alive, and inspire reflection on solidarity and humanity.
Neïla Driss
