The Athens Palestine Film Festival kicks off today, October 17, bringing a captivating cinematic journey of Palestinian storytelling to the heart of Athens. Now in its third edition, the festival will take place at three prominent venues: Andora Cinema, Studio New Star Art Cinema, and Trianon Cinema, running until November 16.
This year’s screenings will feature the presence of actors and directors, offering unique insights into their work through discussions and Q&A sessions. These conversations aim to foster open dialogue with the audience, exploring the broader Palestinian reality.
From emotional dramas to thought-provoking documentaries, the films tackle themes of identity, resistance, and resilience. Festival director Carol Sansour emphasized, “We are proud to bring such a diverse range of films to Athens, representing the heart and soul of Palestinian cinema.” She also added, “Having directors and actors join us for discussions enriches the experience, allowing audiences to connect deeply with the stories and the people behind them.”
To ensure accessibility for a wide audience, all films will be screened with both English and Greek subtitles.
The Festival’s Schedule
October 17-20, 2024: Andora Cinema
October 17:
20:00 – Opening Ceremony
20:30 – Life is Beautiful (Documentary, 93′)
The young Palestinian director Mohamed Jabaly is visiting a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to Gaza close. He finds himself stuck in the arctic winter. Little does he know that it will be seven years before he can see his family again.
October 18:
20:00 – The Teacher (Fiction, 118′)
A Palestinian school teacher struggles to reconcile his life-threatening commitment to political resistance and his emotional support for his students amidst turmoil in the West Bank, with the chance of a new romantic relationship with a British volunteer worker.
October 19:
19:00 – Bye Bye Tiberias (Documentary, 82′)
In her early twenties, Hiam Abbass left her Palestinian village to pursue a career as an actress in Europe. Thirty years later, she returns with her filmmaker daughter, Lina, in this intimate documentary that explores the lives of four generations of women and their shared legacy of separation.
21:00 – Wajib (Fiction, 96′)
A divorced father and schoolteacher living in Nazareth reunites with his son, who returns after years abroad to help deliver his sister’s wedding invitations to each guest, following local Palestinian custom. The tension in their relationship comes to a head, challenging their fragile and vastly different lives.
October 20:
19:00 – Lyd (Documentary, 78′)
A story of a city that once connected Palestine to the world —what it once was, what it is now, and what it could have become had the Israeli occupation of Lyd never happened?
21:00 – Mediterranean Fever (Fiction, 108′)
A bittersweet and unpredictable comedy-drama about an unexpected male friendship in Haifa that evolves into a journey of dark and surprising encounters.
November 1-3, 2024: Studio New Star Art Cinema
November 1:
20:00 – Opening Remarks
20:30 – 7 Waves (Documentary, 69′)
A testament of love dedicated to the sea of Gaza – its stories, myths, and heroes. The film follows a Palestinian rowing champion and a fisherman and marine rescuer weaving together the stories and dreams of a besieged sea, filled with life and hope.
November 2:
20:00 – Tomorrow’s Freedom (Documentary, 97′)
Made over the course of 5 years, the film documents sisters Georgia and Sophia Scott’s intimate access to the family of imprisoned Palestinian political leader and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Marwan Barghouthi who is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison.
November 3:
20:00 – A World Not Ours (Documentary, 93′)
Αn intimate, humorous, portrait of three generations of exile in the refugee camp of Ain el-Helweh, in southern Lebanon. Βased on a wealth of personal recordings, family archives, and historical footage, the film is a sensitive, and illuminating study of belonging, friendship, and family.
November 15-16, 2024: Trianon Cinema
November 15:
20:00 – Opening Remarks
20:30 – 200 Meters (Fiction, 96′)
Τhe story of a Palestinian family separated by the barrier built by Israel on the West Bank, and of a father’s odyssey to reach his young son who has been injured in an accident on the other side of the wall.
November 16:
20:00 – Closing Ceremony
20:30 – From Ground Zero (Documentary, 112′)
A collection of 22 short films made in Gaza, initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi. The project was created to give a voice to 22 Gazan filmmakers, allowing them to tell the untold stories of the current war through film.
Tickets are priced at €6 per screening and can be purchased at the cinema box office or online.
The festival is organized by Dounias, an independent non-profit organization. The name “Dounias,” meaning “world” in both Greek and Arabic, reflects the organization’s commitment to producing and showcasing culture from Palestine and the Arab world for Greek audiences.
Dounias’ mission is to create meaningful spaces for engagement, fostering dialogue, understanding, and creativity—key elements for building strong communities and nurturing an open, free society.
