Stars of ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’ reveal why they cannot attend the Oscars

Actors from the Oscar nominated film The Voice of Hind Rajab say they will not be able to attend the Academy Awards ceremony because of their Palestinian citizenship, revealing the situation in a statement shared publicly ahead of the event.

The film, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania, tells the story of five year old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab and the emergency call that captured her final hours during the war in Gaza. The docudrama premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and later received an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film.

Several cast members involved in the production, including Saja Kilani and other Palestinian performers, said that despite the film’s recognition, they will not be present at the ceremony due to travel restrictions linked to their citizenship.

In their message, the actors explained the situation directly. They wrote, “Unfortunately, because we are Palestinians, we are unable to attend the ceremony.”

They continued by expressing gratitude for the film’s recognition while highlighting the contradiction between global acclaim and their inability to appear at the awards themselves. “Our film is nominated for an Oscar, yet the Palestinian actors who brought this story to life cannot be there to witness it.”

The statement also emphasised the importance of the film’s message and the real life tragedy that inspired it. “This story is about a child whose voice the world heard too late. We hope the nomination will help keep her voice alive.”

The Voice of Hind Rajab recreates the final phone call between Hind Rajab and emergency responders from the Palestine Red Crescent Society as she remained trapped in a car following an attack. The film combines reenactments with the real audio from the call, which circulated widely online and drew international attention to the case.

The production premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival and received major awards before entering the global awards circuit. Its Oscar nomination has amplified discussion about the events depicted in the film and the real life story behind it.

While the ceremony will proceed without some of its cast present, the actors said the nomination still represents an opportunity to draw attention to the child whose story inspired the film.