Waterford Film For All presents Palestine 36
From acclaimed director Annemarie Jacir (Wajib), Palestine 36 chronicles the beginnings of the 1936-1939 Arab Revolt by Palestinian Arabs against British colonial rule. In this ambitious and wide-reaching epic, Jacir deftly creates a patchwork of characters – the young Yousef from a small village; Afra and her family of farmers; Amir, a newspaper editor, and his journalist wife Khuloud; Father Boulos, the village priest; and the British dignitaries – whose personal intertwined stories play out against the events of history.
These character strands plus striking archival footage creates emotional engagement with the characters’ respective destinies. It sets up the cruelty and injustice of the decades that would follow, and that eventually lead us to what we are witnessing today.
Festivals
Toronto International Film Festival 2025
BFI London International Film Festival 2025
Reviews
“[Palestine 36] has a lot of story to tell, but still manages to singularly draw its many characters and to give specificity to its different locations. It demands the audience’s undivided attention and earns it by the end of its running time.” – Murtada Elfadl, Variety
“It’s a humanist film at its heart, remaining deeply rooted in the lives of its characters, their relationships with their community, their love for their people, and their enduring connection to their ancestral land.” – Marya E Gates, Rogerebert.com
“Whereas so many Hollywood examples reduce this region’s story to terrorism, Palestine 36gives it the care necessary toremind us how that label is often used by oppressive forces tomaintain their control.” – Jared Mobarak, The Film Stage
Language: Arabic with English language subtitles
Director: Annemarie Jacir
Cast: Jeremy Irons, Liam Cunningham, Robert Aramayo
