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PALESTINE 36 set for Gala world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival Opening Weekend
29 July 2025
Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir returns to the international spotlight with the world premiere of her latest feature, PALESTINE 36, set to make waves at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, which will run from September 4th to the 14th.
A sweeping yet intimate historical drama set during the 1936 Arab Revolt in British-ruled Palestine, the film marks a bold cinematic interpretation of a pivotal moment that reshaped the future of the Middle East.
An international co-production involving Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, Mk Productions, and Snowglobe, PALESTINE 36 follows Yusuf as he drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest of 1936 Mandate Palestine, where several villages were rising up against British rule. But history is relentless; with rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping an increasingly fascist Europe and Palestinian calls for independence, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.
When asked about the inspiration and vision behind the film, Jacir talked about how she’d dreamed about making a film about the 1936 Revolt for years “but in a way that is intimate, personal, and raw.”
Written and directed by Annemarie Jacir, PALESTINE 36 is produced by Ossama Bawardi; co-produced by Cat Villiers, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Katrin Pors, Azzam Fakhrildin, and Hamza Ali; lensed by Hélène Louvart (INVISIBLE LIFE), edited by Tania Reddin (DIRTY FILTHY LOVE), production design by Nael Kanj (WAJIB), costume design Hamada Atallah (SALT OF THIS SEA) and scored by Ben Frost (DARK).
It also features a cast with talents from Palestine, the Arab World, and the UK, including: Oscar-winning British actor Jeremy Irons (KINGDOM OF HEAVEN), prominent Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (SUCCESSION), veteran Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha (THE INSULT), Saleh Bakri (THE BLUE CAFTAN), Yasmine Al-Massri (THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US!), Jalal Altawil (BOY FROM HEAVEN), Billy Howle (DUNKIRK), Dhafer L’Abidine (TO MY SON), William Cunningham (GAME OF THRONES), Robert Aramayo (NOCTURNAL ANIMALS), and newcomers Ward Helo, Ward Aylebuni, Yafa Bakri, and Karim Daoud Anaya.
The film has received funding and support from a broad coalition of international and regional organizations, including the British Film Institute (BFI), BBC Film, Doha Film Institute, Katara Studios, Watermelon Pictures, Red Sea Fund, Roya Media Group, Metafora Productions, Cocoon Films, TRT, Jordan Film Fund, the Royal Film Commission, Koala VFX, Danish Film Institute, Film I Väst, Sørfond, French Cinema Institution (CNC – Aide au Cinema du Monde), Région Ile-de-France, AFAC, Munib & Angela Masri Foundation, Ghiath and Nadia Sukhtian Foundation, Khalid Shoman Foundation, Studio Rise, and TV11.
The film is distributed in the MENA region by pan-Arab entertainment powerhouse MAD Solution’s distribution arm MAD Distribution, while French sales agents mk2 Films and Lucky Number are handling its international sales and distribution.
Annemarie Jacir has written, directed, and produced over 16 films, with premieres at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, and Telluride. All three features she directed were Palestine's Oscar entries. She also directed the first feature by a Palestinian female director, the acclaimed SALT OF THIS SEA (2007), a FIPRESCI winner and her second work to debut at Cannes. WHEN I SAW YOU (2012) won Best Asian Film at the Berlinale, and WAJIB (2017) garnered 36 awards, including those at Mar Del Plata, Dubai, and London.
As the founder of the independent production company Philistine Films, Jacir frequently collaborates with Arab filmmakers in roles including editor, screenwriter, and producer. She is deeply committed to working with local crews and nurturing emerging Arab talent through mentorship and training, actively supporting the growth of independent cinema across the region.
Jacir lives in Palestine and has served on juries for major film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance. She is a member of several prestigious film academies, including AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), BAFTA, and the Asia Pacific Screen Academy.
In her hometown of Bethlehem, she co-founded Dar Jacir, an independent, artist-run cultural space. Her work has been celebrated in retrospectives at venues like BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in New York and the Toronto International Film Festival.
A sweeping yet intimate historical drama set during the 1936 Arab Revolt in British-ruled Palestine, the film marks a bold cinematic interpretation of a pivotal moment that reshaped the future of the Middle East.
An international co-production involving Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, Mk Productions, and Snowglobe, PALESTINE 36 follows Yusuf as he drifts between his rural home and the restless energy of Jerusalem, longing for a future beyond the growing unrest of 1936 Mandate Palestine, where several villages were rising up against British rule. But history is relentless; with rising numbers of Jewish immigrants escaping an increasingly fascist Europe and Palestinian calls for independence, all sides spiral towards inevitable collision in a decisive moment for the British Empire and the future of the entire region.
When asked about the inspiration and vision behind the film, Jacir talked about how she’d dreamed about making a film about the 1936 Revolt for years “but in a way that is intimate, personal, and raw.”
Written and directed by Annemarie Jacir, PALESTINE 36 is produced by Ossama Bawardi; co-produced by Cat Villiers, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Katrin Pors, Azzam Fakhrildin, and Hamza Ali; lensed by Hélène Louvart (INVISIBLE LIFE), edited by Tania Reddin (DIRTY FILTHY LOVE), production design by Nael Kanj (WAJIB), costume design Hamada Atallah (SALT OF THIS SEA) and scored by Ben Frost (DARK).
It also features a cast with talents from Palestine, the Arab World, and the UK, including: Oscar-winning British actor Jeremy Irons (KINGDOM OF HEAVEN), prominent Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass (SUCCESSION), veteran Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha (THE INSULT), Saleh Bakri (THE BLUE CAFTAN), Yasmine Al-Massri (THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US!), Jalal Altawil (BOY FROM HEAVEN), Billy Howle (DUNKIRK), Dhafer L’Abidine (TO MY SON), William Cunningham (GAME OF THRONES), Robert Aramayo (NOCTURNAL ANIMALS), and newcomers Ward Helo, Ward Aylebuni, Yafa Bakri, and Karim Daoud Anaya.
The film has received funding and support from a broad coalition of international and regional organizations, including the British Film Institute (BFI), BBC Film, Doha Film Institute, Katara Studios, Watermelon Pictures, Red Sea Fund, Roya Media Group, Metafora Productions, Cocoon Films, TRT, Jordan Film Fund, the Royal Film Commission, Koala VFX, Danish Film Institute, Film I Väst, Sørfond, French Cinema Institution (CNC – Aide au Cinema du Monde), Région Ile-de-France, AFAC, Munib & Angela Masri Foundation, Ghiath and Nadia Sukhtian Foundation, Khalid Shoman Foundation, Studio Rise, and TV11.
The film is distributed in the MENA region by pan-Arab entertainment powerhouse MAD Solution’s distribution arm MAD Distribution, while French sales agents mk2 Films and Lucky Number are handling its international sales and distribution.
Annemarie Jacir has written, directed, and produced over 16 films, with premieres at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto, and Telluride. All three features she directed were Palestine's Oscar entries. She also directed the first feature by a Palestinian female director, the acclaimed SALT OF THIS SEA (2007), a FIPRESCI winner and her second work to debut at Cannes. WHEN I SAW YOU (2012) won Best Asian Film at the Berlinale, and WAJIB (2017) garnered 36 awards, including those at Mar Del Plata, Dubai, and London.
As the founder of the independent production company Philistine Films, Jacir frequently collaborates with Arab filmmakers in roles including editor, screenwriter, and producer. She is deeply committed to working with local crews and nurturing emerging Arab talent through mentorship and training, actively supporting the growth of independent cinema across the region.
Jacir lives in Palestine and has served on juries for major film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, and Sundance. She is a member of several prestigious film academies, including AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences), BAFTA, and the Asia Pacific Screen Academy.
In her hometown of Bethlehem, she co-founded Dar Jacir, an independent, artist-run cultural space. Her work has been celebrated in retrospectives at venues like BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in New York and the Toronto International Film Festival.
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