Gaza – December 2018
The Women’s Affairs Center (WAC) in Gaza launched the 3rd Women’s Cinema Carnival today, attended by hundreds of participants from across Palestinian society at Rashad Al-Shawa Hall in Gaza City.
Amal Syam, WAC Director, stated at the opening: “Today’s carnival presents new creations from previous and new filmmakers, each contributing significantly to Palestinian cinema.”
The carnival showcased six short films, produced through a competition organized by WAC, highlighting the realities faced by Palestinian women in Gaza, with a particular focus on gender-based violence. Syam emphasized the urgent need for a Family Protection Law to combat such violence.
Syam also highlighted the films’ reflection of the social and political challenges faced by Palestinian women in a patriarchal society, stressing the importance of exposing violence against women and encouraging them to break the silence.
Itmad Washah, WAC Video Coordinator, added that the carnival demonstrated the efforts of young filmmakers to raise awareness of women’s rights and gender sensitivity, presenting a realistic portrayal of women’s lives in Gaza and contributing to the development of Palestinian cinema.
Award Winners:
- First Prize (joint): “Kharabeesh” by Asma Abu Jazar and “Awraq Al-Ward” by Maysara Dukhan.
- Second Prize: “A Cup of Coffee” by Mahmoud Abu Dawood.
- Third Prize: “En’ash”, “Hayat”, and “Al-Sarab”.
The awards ranged in value from $500 to $1,000.
