Kaouther Ben Hania’s searing “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which uses actual audio recordings of a six-year-old girl who died in Gaza during an IDF bombing, won the Grand Jury Prize at Venice this year. But that win — and the robust festival run that followed it — didn’t inspire U.S. distributors to come calling.
But alas, the Tunisian production — and Tunisian representative for the Best International Feature Oscar next year — has found a stateside home. Much like the Oscar-winning Palestine-Israel-conceived documentary “No Other Land,” “The Voice of Hind Rajab” will be released by its own stakeholders: in this case, the distribution arm of the film’s production company, WILLA.
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The film will open theatrically on December 17, launching in New York (Film Forum) and Los Angeles (Laemmle Theatres), with a national rollout to follow, as announced on Tuesday. “The Voice of Hind Rajab” already played well theatrically in Tunisia in September, a week after premiering in Venice. Meanwhile, the film opened in Italy on September 25 at number 4 at the box office — behind “One Battle After Another,” “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie,” and the Italian documentary “AG4IN.”
The film recreates the circumstances that surrounded Hind Rajab’s actual killing in January 2024, in which Red Crescent volunteers struggled to send an ambulance to rescue the child, who was trapped under fire in Gaza. The cast includes Saja Kilani, Motaz Malhees, Amer Hlehel, and Clara Khoury. Producers include Nadim Cheikhrouha (Ben Hania’s “Four Daughters”), Oscar winner Odessa Rae (“Navalny”), and Oscar winner James Wilson (“The Zone of Interest”). Celebrity executive producers who joined the film also include Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer.
Resounding appreciation for “The Voice of Hind Rajab” started in Italy at the film’s Venice premiere, which earned a 25-minute standing ovation in the Salle Grande after a week of protests in support of Palestine along the Lido. Reportedly, that standing ovation was the longest in the film festival’s history; it even received a standing ovation at the film’s own Venice press conference.
“The Voice of Hind Rajab” also won the Audience Award at the San Sebastián Film Festival, the Audience Award for International Feature at Middleburg Film Festival, and the Silver Hugo Jury Prize at Chicago Film Festival. It has also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, AFI Fest, and elsewhere.
The production and distribution company WILLA, meanwhile, focuses on socially relevant projects, with recent releases including Fawzia Mirza’s “The Queen of My Dreams,” Alonso Ruizpalacios’ “La Cocina,” and the Sofia Coppola-produced “Fairyland,” which premiered at Sundance 2024 and was only recently brought to theaters (and co-distributed by Lionsgate). WILLA also backed the production of Claire Denis’ “The Fence,” which is awaiting distribution.
Many of the film’s partner companies — including the Amed Khan Foundation, World Within Studios, Watermelon Pictures, Common Pictures, and Utopia Studios — will collaborate with WILLA throughout the film’s rollout on education efforts, along with an ongoing impact campaign.
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