Three Oscar-nominated films are highlighting personal stories from the Gaza war, seeking to humanise the conflict amid the heavy Palestinian death toll following Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
The filmmakers aim to focus on individual lives behind the more than 72,000 Palestinians reported killed by Gaza health authorities, with many others believed to remain buried under buildings destroyed during the 28-month war. Israel disputes the figures, although a senior Israeli military officer recently described them in local media as “broadly accurate,” a remark the army later said did not represent official data. The United Nations has long considered the numbers credible.
‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’: A child’s story
Tunisian writer-director Kaouther Ben Hania’s docudrama The Voice of Hind Rajab, nominated for best international feature film, tells the story of a six-year-old girl trapped in a car in Gaza as Israeli tank fire closes in. The film incorporates real audio from the child’s call to Red Crescent emergency responders.
Ben Hania said the film aims to highlight Palestinian voices that are often overlooked. She noted that Palestinians are frequently portrayed only as victims, threats, or statistics, rather than as individuals with personal stories. The film places viewers alongside first responders trying to rescue the girl, emphasising their struggle and humanity.
‘Children No More’: Israelis bearing witness
The documentary short Children No More: Were and Are Gone portrays Israeli citizens holding silent vigils with photographs of Palestinian children killed in the conflict.
Executive producer Libby Lenkinski, an Israeli-American activist, said the film challenges simplified portrayals of the Israel-Palestine conflict that frame it as a clear divide between opposing sides. She said the documentary highlights the commitment of some Israelis to speak out against violence carried out by their own government and the deaths of children during the war.
‘Butcher’s Stain’: Confronting suspicion at home
Butcher’s Stain, nominated in the live-action short film category, explores the tensions faced by Arab citizens of Israel. Written and directed by Meyer Levinson-Blount, the film follows Samir, a butcher and the only Arab employee at an Israeli supermarket, who is falsely accused of removing posters of hostages held in Gaza.
Already a student Academy Award winner in 2025, the film examines discrimination and social divisions in Israel, where about 21% of the population is Arab. Levinson-Blount said that while cinema alone cannot change the world, it can encourage public engagement and spark conversations that lead to broader social and political action.
Click here for more on Lifestyle
