Juliette Binoche honors slain Gaza photojournalist Fatima Hassouna at Cannes opening ceremony

Juliette Binoche honors Fatima Hassouna, killed in an Israeli airstrike a day after her work was selected for Cannes.

Juliette Binoche, French actress and president of the Cannes Film Festival jury, paid a heartfelt tribute to Gaza photojournalist Fatima Hassouna at the festival’s opening ceremony on Tuesday. Binoche, visibly moved, expressed that Hassouna “should have been with us tonight” and honored the 25-year-old journalist, who was tragically killed in an Israeli airstrike last month.

Speaking to a crowd of filmmakers, actors, and directors on the French Riviera, Binoche highlighted the immense value of artists worldwide who "make resistance into art." She recalled the devastating news of Hassouna’s death on April 16, when the photojournalist and ten of her relatives were killed by a missile that struck their Gaza home. Binoche added that the day before her death, Hassouna had learned that the documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which features her work, had been selected for Cannes. The documentary, directed by exiled Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi, will premiere at the festival on Thursday.

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Binoche’s tribute came amidst growing calls for action regarding the ongoing violence in Gaza. More than 380 figures from the film industry, including actors Ralph Fiennes and Richard Gere, signed an open letter condemning the situation in Gaza, denouncing it as “genocide.” Although Binoche's name was initially reported as part of the petition, it was absent from the final list. In a statement to the press, Binoche hinted that she might address the issue further during the ceremony.

Alongside her tribute to Hassouna, Binoche also acknowledged the suffering of hostages and prisoners in Gaza, referencing the victims of the October 7 attack and the ongoing terror they face. The ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, including over 50,000 Palestinian lives lost, according to health ministry reports. Additionally, nearly 200 Palestinian journalists have died, drawing condemnation from media freedom group Reporters Without Borders.

Binoche’s powerful remarks underscore the importance of remembering the lives lost in conflict and the crucial role of journalists in bearing witness to such atrocities.