SCREENING: PALESTINE CINEMA DAYS POLAND
On November 1 and 2 TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art invites you for the Szczecin edition of Palestine Cinema Days Poland. The event takes place in support of the Palestine Cinema Days Festival, which was forcibly canceled due to the war in Gaza, and whose next edition was to take place in October 2023 in Palestine.
On November 2nd, the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, over 700 screenings of Palestinian films will take place around the world, including in Poland. This global endeavor is an expression of solidarity with Palestine and the Palestinian people in the face of the ongoing genocide – a gesture to amplify the censored voices of Palestinians.
Film program:
“The Dupes” dir. Tewfik Saleh (1972, Syria, 107 min) / Polish premiere
Based on the novella “Men in the Sun” (orig. “Rijāl fī al-Shams”) by Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani. Three Palestinian refugees—Abu Qais, Assad, and Marwan—attempt to escape Lebanon’s refugee camps for Kuwait. Hiding in a water tanker under the desert sun, they suffocate when the smuggler fails to release them in time. The tragedy ends with a haunting question: “Why didn’t they knock on the walls of the tank?”
Festivals and awards: Cannes Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Carthage Film Festival (Tanit d’Or Award), Singapore International Film Festival, ALFILM Festival
“A State of Passion” dir. Carol Mansour & Muna Khalidi (2024, Palestine / Jordan, 90 min) / Polish premiere
British-Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah spent 43 days under Gaza’s bombardment, treating the wounded without rest. Facing horrific injuries, targeted hospitals, and orphaned children, his work became a symbol of resistance. This film explores his sixth and most harrowing Gaza war, his family’s fears, and the shared passion for Palestine that fuels his relentless humanitarian mission despite the danger.
Festivals and awards: Sheffield Doc/Fest, Cairo International Film Festival (Best Arab Film)
All films are presented with Polish and English subtitles.
Organization of Palestine Cinema Days Around the World: Filmlab Palestine
Organization of Palestine Cinema Days Poland: Palestine Cinema Days Warsaw collective, Palmyra Films, Stowarzyszenie Plan B
Coortanization of Palestine Cinema Days in Szczecin: Szczecin dla Palestyny (Szczecin for Palestine)
Partnerships: Subcontent Michał Tomaszewski, Nahda Foundation, Palestine Solidarity Days, TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin
Translations: Zuzanna Błahuszewska, Krzysiek Igielski, Aleksandra Ławska, Marta Makieła, Dorota Miklasińska, Zuza Nowak, Kuba Stolarz, Michał Tomaszewski
Film copies and subtitles: Michał Tomaszewski, Subcontent
Huge thanks to Filmlab Palestine for their tremendous work in organizing Palestine Cinema Days Around the World worldwide. Special thanks also go to all those who supported and made the Poland edition of Palestine Cinema Days Around the World possible.