Gaza Women’s Film Festival Screens Amid Displacement

From 26 to 31 October 2026, the International Festival for Women's Cinema is screening films in tents sheltering displaced Palestinians and in damaged buildings in Gaza—not in cinemas or theatres. Its second edition brings a red carpet into daily life shaped by war, displacement and starvation.

Cinema Among the Tents

Organisers say the festival aims to make Palestinian women's stories, culture and creativity accessible despite the conditions around them. Founder and president Ezzeddin Shalh said the event shows that people can create under immense pressure. “We want to prove that the people of Palestine are still able to create beauty and life, even while they are living in tents under immense pressure and pain.”

The Final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment records the scale of displacement: more than 1.9 million people had experienced internal displacement, while more than 1.2 million Palestinians had been left without homes. A report titled “Report on UNCTAD assistance to the Palestinian people: Developments in the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory” states that Israeli forces damaged or destroyed 92% of Gaza's economic establishments.

Shalh said the destruction made organisers feel more responsible for acting. “Gaza should not be limited to wars, death and destruction. This was the main motivation,” he said. “We are people with lives, culture, art and stories to tell.” He put the choice plainly: organisers could wait for conditions to improve, but “if we keep waiting for normal conditions, will they ever come? And if they do, when?”

A film screening can't undo displacement or repair destroyed buildings. Shalh described culture as “a form of survival and a way of preserving Palestinians' voices and memories,” and said the festival wasn't meant to ignore suffering. The red carpet remains part of the event's identity, he said, while the screenings move among tents to bring cinema closer to people and everyday life. Attendees aren't being asked to leave pain, loss and suffering at the entrance.

A Festival Built on Limited Means

The festival selected 73 films from 24 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Finland, the Netherlands, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Shalh said the selection was intended to reflect the festival's identity and message. This edition's slogan, “Women Creating Life From Death,” focuses on women's efforts to sustain life during the war.

The practical obstacles are immediate: power cuts, poor internet connections, mental health struggles among the population and scarce resources. “The festival relies mainly on voluntary efforts and contributions from individuals and the community,” Shalh said. “We are doing our best to make use of the limited resources available to organise the festival.” This isn't a well-resourced cultural institution operating in normal conditions; the event's account describes a gathering assembled through voluntary work and community contributions amid widespread destruction.

Women Telling Their Own Stories

Twenty-five women from Gaza were selected and trained to make films about their lives and communities. Their films premiered on the festival's opening day. Organisers also plan to support local filmmakers through the Gaza Cinema Academy after the festival, extending the work beyond the screenings.

Shalh described women who have lost homes and loved ones and live in tents, yet still get up each day to provide for their children and families. The festival puts their stories on screen, presenting Palestinians as storytellers who can tell their own stories through their own lens. Its first edition took place in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, from 26 to 31 October 2025, coinciding with Palestinian Women's National Day. Now the red carpet is laid where people are living, amid displacement and damaged buildings.