10 days
11 feature-length films across fiction and documentary
4 short films
9 Filmmaker and talent Q&As
50 Palestinian designers and collectives at the Reel Palestine Souk across 2 weekends
Reel Palestine Film Festival returns to Cinema Akil for its 12th edition from 23 January to 1 February 2026, reaffirming its position as one of the UAE’s most important platforms for Palestinian cinema and cultural storytelling.
Presented by Bayt, in partnership with Alserkal Avenue, and supported by official partners Advanced Media, Bristol, Bark & Berg, Hikmat Palestine, and The Giving Movement, the 2026 edition offers a carefully curated programme of fiction, documentary, and short films that reflect the depth, diversity, and urgency of contemporary Palestinian filmmaking.
The festival opens with the UAE premiere of Once Upon a Time in Gaza by award-winning directors Arab and Tarzan Nasser, with actor Majd Eid attending for an in-person post-screening Q&A.
A Curated Programme of Palestinian Cinema
The 12th edition of Reel Palestine presents 11 feature-length films, five short films, and 29 screenings, including two Academy Award shortlisted titles. Together, they offer a powerful reflection on Palestinian life, history, resistance, and creativity, told through distinct cinematic voices.
Alongside the film programme, audiences can experience two weekends of the Reel Palestine Souk, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and hands-on workshops, extending the festival beyond the screen and into the wider community.
Opening Film and Key Highlights at Reel Palestine Film Festival
Once Upon a Time in Gaza (2025)
Directed by Arab and Tarzan Nasser, this Cannes-premiered drama is set in Gaza in 2007 and follows two friends navigating crime, loyalty, and survival under siege. The film interrogates identity, power, and the spectacle of violence with dark wit and emotional precision. The opening night screening will be followed by a live Q&A with actor Majd Eid.
Focus on Annemarie Jacir
A central highlight of Reel Palestine 2026 is the presence of Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, who will attend the festival in person for screenings, discussions, and a masterclass.
Her latest feature, Palestine 36 (2025), revisits British Mandate Palestine during the 1936 uprisings, following a young man caught between village life and Jerusalem as political unrest intensifies. The film is one of the festival’s Academy Award shortlisted titles.
The programme will also include a Special Screening of Wajib, presented in tribute to the late Mohammad Bakri (1953 to 2025), celebrating one of the most iconic performances in Palestinian cinema.
Feature Films and Documentaries
The 2026 programme brings together deeply human stories shaped by memory, endurance, and artistic expression.
- Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk by Sepideh Farsi offers an intimate portrait of life in Gaza through video calls with photojournalist Fatma Hassona. Farsi will attend for an in-person Q&A.
- All That’s Left of You by Cherien Dabis traces intergenerational trauma rooted in displacement since 1948, unfolding in the moments before a confrontation at a West Bank protest.
- The Clown of Gaza by Abdulrahman Sabbah follows Alaa Meqdad, a clown who brings moments of joy to children amid devastation.
- One More Show by Mai Saad and Ahmed El Danafi documents the Free Gaza circus troupe as they perform acts of defiance and hope.
- Palestine Comedy Club by Alaa Aliabdallah explores humour as survival through the journeys of Palestinian stand-up comedians.
- Who Is Still Alive by Nicolas Wadimoff gives voice to nine Gazans who recreate their neighbourhoods in chalk, sharing stories of survival and humanity.
Short Film Programmes
The short film selection presents intimate narratives exploring identity, memory, and resilience.
Highlights include:
- Born A Celebrity by Luay Awad
- Gaza Bride 17 by Waseem Khair
- BAISANOS by Andrés and Francisca Khamis Giacoman
- I’m Glad You’re Dead Now by Tawfeek Barhom
Together, these works offer a nuanced and deeply personal lens on Palestinian life across generations and geographies.
Reel Palestine Souk
The Reel Palestine Souk returns across two weekends, featuring 50 Palestinian designers, artisans, collectives, and social enterprises, with 35 vendors participating each weekend.
Set around Cinema Akil and KAVE at Alserkal Avenue, the Souk showcases fashion, jewellery, homeware, art, books, and food, creating a vibrant space for cultural exchange and community support. Highlights include an exclusive exhibition of Palestinian National Team football shirts from the personal collection of Rakan Al-Hassoun, on view at KAVE.
Visual Identity for 2026
The visual identity for Reel Palestine 2026 is created by Palestinian artist Rami Afifi, drawing inspiration from a time when Arabic illustration carried a distinct and self-defined visual language.
Influenced by artists such as Helmi El Touni, Mohieddine Ellabbad, and Naji Al-Ali, the artwork references vintage children’s books and revolutionary posters, reclaiming an Arab visual voice shaped before globalised aesthetics diluted regional styles.
Created from the perspective of an artist separated from his homeland, the artwork becomes a visual act of return, weaving together fishermen of Gaza, the orange groves of Jaffa, Jerusalem’s ka’ak, musicians, artisans, and native flora. It stands as a living archive of culture, resilience, and belonging.
Event Details
Dates: 23 January to 1 February 2026
Venue: Cinema Akil, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
Tickets: Available now at www.cinemaakil.com
Ticket prices start from AED 60, with special pricing for Q&A sessions and masterclasses. Schedules are subject to change.
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