Kaouther Ben Hania speaks on Gaza drama ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ at Venice

Kaouther Ben Hania’s new film tells the story of six-year-old Hind Rajab in Gaza, capturing her final calls for help.

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania premiered her latest feature, The Voice of Hind Rajab, at the 82nd Venice Film Festival in September 2025.

The film recounts the final moments of six-year-old Hind Rajab, who called Red Crescent volunteers from a car in Gaza on January 29, 2024, after her family was killed in an Israeli tank strike. An ambulance sent to reach her was destroyed, killing the two medics on board.

Hind’s voice, fragments of which circulated online, became a haunting symbol of the human cost of conflict.

Denied access to Gaza, Ben Hania worked closely with Hind’s family and the Red Crescent to create a hybrid documentary-drama. Palestinian actors portray the medics, while Hind’s own voice forms the emotional core of the film.

“I wanted to help her… the perspective of the Red Crescent workers was the best way to show her asking for help,” Ben Hania said. She preserved the recordings in their original form, emphasizing authenticity and urgency.

Ben Hania described the weight of responsibility: “I was afraid that I’d fail her voice… At least, with this film, I wasn’t silenced.”

The film examines not only Hind’s tragedy but also the broader silencing of Palestinian voices. The director aimed to provoke empathy and highlight the global inaction faced by civilians in conflict zones.

The project has drawn support from Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jonathan Glazer as executive producers.

Tunisia selected the film as its official entry for the Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category.

The Voice of Hind Rajab continues Ben Hania’s exploration of blending documentary and dramatization, using cinema to bear witness, confront complicity, and honor the voices of those often unheard.