Palestine has selected Annemarie Jacir’s "Palestine 36" as its official entry for the international feature film category of the 2025 Academy Awards.
The historical drama is set in 1936 during the Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule.
The film follows Yusuf, a young villager caught between his rural home and the political upheaval in Jerusalem, as tensions rise amid growing unrest, British crackdowns, and the influx of Jewish immigrants escaping antisemitism in Europe.
"Palestine 36" will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival with a gala screening during the opening weekend on September 5.
The ensemble cast includes Hiam Abbass (Succession), Saleh Bakri (Blue Caftan), Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Billy Howle (The Perfect Couple), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Dafer L’Abidine (Children of Men), Yasmine Al-Massri (The Strangers Case), Yumna Marwan, newcomer Karim Daoud Anaya as Yusuf, and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons (The Beekeeper).
Produced by Ossama Bawardi, Cat Villiers, Azzam Fakhreddin, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Nathanaël Karmitz, Katrin Pors and Hamza Ali, the film was made through Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Productions, and Snowglobe.
Production was initially planned to shoot entirely in Palestine but was disrupted following the events of October 7, with parts relocated to Jordan before returning to complete the film on location in Palestine.
Jacir, one of the most prominent Palestinian filmmakers, previously directed "Salt of the Sea" (2008), "When I Saw You" (2012) and "Wajib" (2017), all of which were selected as Palestine’s Oscar entries.
She is also the founder of Philistine Films, a production company supporting independent Arab cinema.
France’s mk2 films and Lucky Number are handling international sales.
The Oscar international feature shortlist will be announced on December 16 and the final five nominees will be announced on January 22.
Follow the latest news on Google News
