The Voice of Hind Rajab premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it quickly became one of the most talked-about films of the year. It received the longest standing ovation in the festival’s history lasting roughly 22 minutes. The film also won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the festival.
Shortly after its Venice debut, the film made its way to the Toronto International Film Festival, where it has become one of the buzziest films at the festival and tickets were not easy to come by. I was lucky enough to be one of the few who were able to see the film at TIFF.
The film is based on a true story, drawn heavily from leaked audio recordings of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl trapped in a car during the Israeli invasion in Gaza. Despite the horror unfolding around her, which included the deaths of several family members, Hind managed to call the Palestinian Red Crescent Society for help. The film unfolds from the perspective of the call center team, who scramble to find someone capable of rescuing her.
They say life imitates art, and that powerful art can change the world. That idea seems to be at the heart of this project. Director Kaouther Ben Hania has crafted a film not just to raise awareness of a horrific incident, but to prompt a broader conversation that might lead to actual change. It’s not an easy film to watch, and it certainly offers no joy. But it’s necessary.
To give a sense of how the film is structured: the leaked audio recordings serve as the foundation for the narrative. The actors respond to the original audio as if they were the individuals who received those calls. We witness what happened behind the scenes before, during, and after the calls came in.
The performances by Amer Hlehel, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees, and Saja Kilani are emotionally powerful and gut wrenching. If hearing the real audio wasn’t haunting enough, these actors’ reactions amplify the weight of the situation. They are desperate to help, but they have no real control. All they can do is take one heartbreaking call after another, hoping they can alert the right person in time to launch a rescue mission and save their lives.
From what I understand, the actors weren’t given a full script. Instead, they responded in real time to the audio, as though they were truly on the front lines of the crisis. The frustration and grief captured on screen doesn’t feel like acting, but rather like raw and unfiltered human reactions. These characters want nothing more than to save Hind, but they’re bound by protocol, paralyzed in a war zone.
The entire film plays like an experiment, but one that succeeds in telling a powerful and urgent story. It’s clear that this film was designed to evoke a response. Regardless of religion or politics, it’s nearly impossible to watch this film without feeling a deep sense of heartbreak and outrage. What makes it even harder is knowing this isn’t an isolated incident. Hind’s story is just one among hundreds, perhaps thousands, of similar tragedies that have happened, and continue to happen, to children around the world including in Gaza.
I’ve heard rumors that Netflix is interested in acquiring the film. Whether it’s Netflix or another distributor, I’m certain the film will be positioned for awards consideration. I do have mixed feelings about that. On one hand, campaigning for awards feels like it would be cashing in on a tragedy. On the other, it could help bring global attention to a story that desperately needs to be seen and heard. It’s a moral grey area, but ultimately, I do hope the film gets picked up and widely distributed. People need to see the real-life horrors that continue to unfold across the world.
The Voice of Hind Rajab prompts the viewer to listen to the voice of a child. This is a film that deserves to be seen, discussed, and remembered. It is an unflinching cinematic experience that will stay with you for weeks to come.
Grade: 8/10
Awards Buzz: If the film does end up getting picked up for distribution, I can see it possibly being nominated for Best International Feature. The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has been a hot button issue, especially for those in Hollywood. I don’t know how releasing a film like this will impact a studio that releases it. I suspect it could result in boycotts.
