A Grain of Sand is a powerful one-woman show based on real events in Gaza, performed by Sarah Agha and written and directed by Elias Matar.

The London Palestine Film Festival (LPFF) returned this year with a profound and timely selection of films, marking the first anniversary of the brutal Israeli war on Gaza.

As the world continues to be confronted with heartwrenching images from the besieged region, the need to delve into the history of the Palestinian struggle is more urgent than ever, The New Arab wrote, reporting on the festival.

LPFF 2024, co-sponsored by The New Arab, offers a critical platform for reflecting on Palestinian history through a curated lineup of films and live performances that shed light on the harsh realities faced by Palestinians.

Running from November 15 to November 29, the festival will host 18 events across nine venues in London, including The Barbican, the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), and the iconic Curzon Soho. This powerful festival offers global audiences an intimate and uncensored look at life amid one of the world’s most contentious struggles.

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London Palestine Film Festival opens with Gaza testimonies performance

Khaled Ziada, the founder and director of the London Palestine Film Festival, told The New Arab about the importance of this year’s festival, which is set against the backdrop of the brutal war on Gaza.

The Israeli genocide in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in the killing of over 42,500 people, primarily civilians, including Palestinian artists, filmmakers, and cultural figures. The war has also devastated the region, including its cultural institutions and art spaces that once nurtured Palestinian creativity.

Khaled explained to The New Arab that it was challenging to find films reflecting the current situation in Gaza, given the lack of access to filmmakers in the war-torn area.

As a result, the festival, as per Khaled, decided not to feature a film for its opening. Instead, this year’s LPFF will commence with A Grain of Sand, a live performance by Palestinian actress Sarah Agha. He added as quoted by The New Arab that the performance will relay real-life testimonies from Gaza, written and directed by Elias Matar.

Khaled described the performance as "a one-woman show that will carry testimonies from Gaza, performed in a monologue format" on the festival's opening night. He emphasized that this piece, specially commissioned for the festival, would be the highlight of the event, offering powerful real-life stories from those on the ground.

Dive deeper

The festival features a varied lineup of films, including award-winning full-length films and a collection of short films, providing a glimpse into how Palestinians endure life under years of harsh Israeli occupation.

It will present new releases such as Familiar Phantoms by Larissa Sansour and Soren Lind, A Land Unknown, a feature by Mahdi Fleifel about Palestinian refugees in Athens, and No Other Land, a Berlinale Documentary Award-winning film about a community destroyed by the Israeli occupation.

The festival will also screen the award-winning film The Teacher by acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi, a drama about a teacher striving to shield his students from Israeli occupation. Additionally, We No Longer Prefer Mountains, a film by Palestinian director Inas Halabi, will explore the political dynamics of the Druze community since 1948.

"We received amazing support from the cinemas we're collaborating with, who were very welcoming and allowed us the freedom to curate the program without any hesitation," Khaled told The New Arab.

"We would have loved to bring filmmakers from Gaza, but given the current circumstances, it was not feasible," he added, highlighting the significance of this year's LPFF as a powerful expression of Palestinian advocacy and solidarity.

The festival will also feature the launch of The Afterlife of Palestinian Images: Visual Remains and the Archive of Disappearance, a book by Palestinian filmmaker and researcher Azza El Hassan.

The book delves into the re-use of photographs, film, and media equipment that survived looting and destruction. These objects act as touching symbols of what has been lost, yet through artistic reinterpretation, they are reshaped into new narratives that help reclaim cultural identity.

El Hassan's work provides, as per the report, a unique lens on how looted cultures connect with the remnants of their archives, offering a fresh perspective on visual culture emerging from devastation.

A standout moment at the LPFF will be its closing night, featuring a multi-screening of From Ground Zero, a collection of films created by 22 filmmakers from Gaza over the past year.

"We will screen From Ground Zero on closing night, a compilation of works by these filmmakers who documented their experiences of the war," Khaled told The New Arab. The film will be shown simultaneously in three cinemas to conclude the festival.

Directed by Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi, this impactful film combines documentaries, fiction, animation, and experimental works, capturing the ongoing aggression on Gaza, the severe conditions faced by its two million residents, and their unwavering resilience.

In short, the LPFF 2024, with its powerful lineup of films, serves as a vital platform for Resistance, elevating Palestinian voices and experiences at a time when their fight for survival is critical.

By championing Palestinian filmmakers and showcasing their stories globally, the festival not only safeguards the narrative of a people enduring siege, occupation, and aggression but also fosters worldwide solidarity. It stands as an essential force for truth, justice, and the preservation of the cultural identity of a people confronting genocide.