Presented in the ACID section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the film “Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk” was followed by a press conference marked by the interventions of Francesca Albanese, special reporter of the UN, and representatives of NGOs active on the ground. All stressed the importance of making Fatma and the Palestinians’ voice heard, and denounced the mechanisms that seek to silence the witnesses of crimes.
Under a bright sun, many of them gathered at Palestinian pavilion of the International Village of the Cannes Film Festival To attend the overwhelming press conference organized by Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, director of the documentary Put your soul on your hand and walkpresented in the ACID selection at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Assistance, the vast majority of Western, included journalists and filmmakers, including Argentinian actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, member of the jury A certain lookcame to testify to his support. An event that is both political and intimate, marked by a lively emotion, a collective indignation and an urgent need for testimony.
The starting point for this conference was tragic: The Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassouna, who worked with Sepideh Farsi on the film, was murdered by the Israeli army only twenty-four hours after the announcement of the film selection in Cannes. “” She was killed because the film was selected, and no one did anything “Said Sepideh Farsi, adding that it was the first time in the world that a person was killed in direct retaliation for the selection of a film in a film festival.
Sepideh Farsi publicly read an extract from the investigation report on the assassination of Fatma Hassouna. The upset text clearly demonstrates that it was ” express ».
By his side, engaged voices. Francesca Albanese, a special reporter of the United Nations in the occupied Palestinian territories, was present, as well as representatives of reporters without borders, doctors without borders, Amnesty International, and other NGOs. All spoke. All have denounced what they clearly describe as genocide.
Francesca Albanese opened his intervention with a heavy declaration: ” At the very moment we are talking about, Palestinians are being killed by the hundreds. This is twenty months of non-stop massacre. “She expressed her discomfort in Cannes, discovering the festivities in a city that seems to live” in a bubble “, While” Palestinian children die of hunger ». Coming to support the independent press which tries to give a voice to the Palestinians because the mainstreams are silent, she insisted on the crucial role of journalists in the documentation of the crimes committed, and on the fact that they are today ” deliberately targeted ». According to her, Israel is in a ” final phase of the extermination of Palestinians, including in the West Bank ».
She recalled that ” 200 journalists were killed, more than in the Second World War, more than in any other war in the world ». According to her, this is a manifest genocide: ” From the start, the intention was extermination, and they said openly. “And to emphasize that Gaza has exposed the flaws of Western democracies and the character” elastic Human rights. “” Human rights are being killed, and we will miss when they are no longer there “, She concluded.
A message from Ken Loach was read on this occasion. The British director, physically absent, wanted to express his solidarity. In his letter, he recalls that ” The world looks, but no one reacts ». He insists: “All states have the obligation to stop a genocide. They must act. They say they respect the law, but they do nothing. »»
The representative of Amnesty International then spoke. She recalled that her organization, which has been documenting the situation for twenty months, published a report last December that ” Israel commits a genocide “, As defined by international law. She described the situation in Gaza as that of a hungry people, deprived of water, electricity, food. “” Israel is destroying mosques, churches, everything that constitutes Palestinian memory. It also destroys the future, by attacking schools, universities, everything that could allow a life. »»
She said that “Everything is documented “, that ” No one will be able to say that he did not know ». The world, according to her, is ” at a crossroads », And states fail to act, and this will remain in conscience. She called for the end of impunity and an embargo on arms and the responsibility of the States which continue to provide Israel. “” Netanyahu must be translated to justice. No immunity. »»
A particularly strong testimony came from a member of doctors without borders, who came back just from Gaza. She spent several months there since December. She described inhuman living conditions: ” People have nothing. No work, no food, no water, no care. Everything was destroyed. Children alone, without families, are counted by the thousands». She explained that the population is moving permanently, that people live with strangers, that they must burn anything to make fire, for lack of gas, which leads to many burnt. And that half of the patients arriving in hospitals would die, for lack of suitable care.
She recalled that for eleven weeks, no help has entered Gaza. Humanitarian aid is retained outside. She clarified that when there was aid that entered Gaza, several products were prohibited, including medical equipment.
“” Unlike the allegations of Israel, aid was not going to the black market, it was really distributed by NGOs. Today, Israel wants to impose the distribution of aid only in the South, in order to force the displaced to concentrate there. “” 80 % of the territory is under evacuation order, there are only 20 % left for everyone, without water, without sanitary facilities, without hygiene, and always under the bombs. »»
She described the situation in hospitals: exhausted doctors, foreign doctors blocked at the entrance, NGO prevented from acting, more equipment, more medicines, nothing. “” Our Palestinian colleagues work day and night while they live in the same conditions as everyone, that they are hungry and their families are under the bombs. »»
Fatma Hassouna’s drama was discussed again: six family members died instantly, his mother survived but, by opening her eyes, refused to feed. “” She didn’t want to live “She said.
The representative of Reporters Without Borders continued: ” Whenever a journalist is killed, you have to make noise. However, for twenty months that journalists are permanently killed. RSF filed a complaint, but impunity persists. “” It is thanks to journalists that the world sees this genocide. “It was outraged that we ask the question today each time a journalist is killed:” Are you sure this journalist was not a terrorist? A dangerous question, according to him, which feeds violence.
“” Fatma was a photojournalist. Thanks to her, we see Gaza. She paid for her life. It was not the last. It has to stop. Everyone in the world must say no. »»
Sepideh Farsi wanted to recall that the fight for Palestine should not be assimilated to hostility towards other peoples. “” Fighting for a cause does not prevent fighting for another. Talking about Palestine does not make us anti -Semites. It is simply a question of defending human lives. »»
She spoke of arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. She hoped they would change things. Fatma had told him no. And indeed, ” It hasn’t changed anything ».
It was director Rashid Masharawi, born and growing in Gaza, concluded the event. In permanent contact with his family, he shared a recent exchange with his brother. The latter lives with thirty people in an apartment. They were ordered to evacuate. He must decide for everyone: ” Stay and risk being killed or leaving and risking being killed. »A responsibility he is afraid of assuming.
He spoke of a help program led with producer Laura Nikolov to bring around thirty artists from Gaza, but the majority remain delivered to herself. “” We love life. It will end one day. But there will remain a shame for some countries that have allowed, and even helped, to that. »»
Rashid also denounced democratic regression. He spoke of the United States, but also France: ” This conference was to take place at the Majestic. For no reason, she was canceled. Fortunately, the Palestinian pavilion opened its doors to us. »»
Francesca Albanese intervened one last time to recall that the humanitarian workers and private actors could not be the only ones to act: ” It takes a political commitment ». It insisted on the abnormality of a situation where those who denounce are systematically fought – whether personally or through the abolition of their NGOs. “” It’s not normal “, She repeated. She also mentioned the documented obstacles to freedom of expression: the prohibitions to demonstrate in favor of the Palestinians, including in France, and the violent repression suffered by students in the United States. “” Many were pushed to silence for denouncing a genocide. Now it is a genocide. »»
The conference ended with a thank you supported to ACID, journalists who relayed Fatma’s voice, and to all those who made the choice not to be silent.
The film Put your soul on your hand and walk Was projected with closed counters, in attic rooms. The public was very numerous, attentive and deeply affected. The international press has taken up the film and its history, offering it wide coverage. Fatma Hassouna said she wanted her death to make noise. Israel murdered her so that his voice does not wear. However, the opposite happened: his voice has become stronger. According to the international seller of the film, he has already been asked by several festivals and distributors, and he will soon be released in many countries.
Neïla Driss
