By Natalie Payne, Second-Year, French, German, and Spanish
Since 2011, BPFF has been a force for showcasing Palestinian talent across the arts, and this year is no different. With 15 film and short film screenings, the ten days are filled with incredible projects. As well as cinema, the festival will feature a Dabke workshop and performance from the Alrowwad Dabke Troupe, an exhibition on the Art of the Palestinian Poster, a linocut printing workshop, and a poetry reading of 48kg by Batool Abu Akleen.
The festival comes at a time of reported frequent violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which began on the 10th of October. In September, a UN inquiry found that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. Now more than ever, events like these are vital.
When asked by Epigram about the importance of the festival for Bristol audiences, Rima Cotran, founder of Surrey Palestine Film Festival and BPFF trustee said, ‘Platforming films about Palestine – her people, culture, and filmmakers – is essential to building awareness of historical and present-day injustices faced by Palestinians.’ Cotran went on to further explain that:
‘These are voices not typically platformed by our education system, media apparatus, or political environments, and festivals like BPFF help us all become better informed, educated, and hopefully changed.’
Rima Cotran expressed her own motivations in supporting projects within the BPFF: ‘We’ve seen what that change can do here in Bristol, where people are deeply engaged in social justice movements. For me personally, being involved is about supporting and giving space to the emotions that such difficult truths can evoke.
‘The news can leave us paralysed or overwhelmed, but by acknowledging these emotions, we connect more deeply with our values and, in doing so, take steps to become agents of meaningful change.’
As per the BPFF website, the festival ‘celebrates art that flourishes in the face of adversity and censorship’. Censoring Palestine, showing at the Arnolfini on Saturday 29th November, is an example of this. As described in the 2025 festival programme, the film investigates ‘freedom of expression on Palestine, and how terrorism laws are used – or misused – to silence dissent.’
According to the New Statesman, a new report by the Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice has found the UK’s definition of terrorism to be ‘too broad’, which ‘could undermine the Palestine Action ban.’ Since the proscribing of the group, the Independent has reported that ‘almost 2000 people have been arrested under the Terrorism Act’ at protests over the ban.
Works at this year’s festival touch on a range of themes, from resilience and hope to food and parkour. When asked about the process of selecting films, Alison Sterling, film producer and chair of BPFF, explained that ‘The programme is a combination of films submitted and assessed by our curation team, as well as those we’ve found through our own research. We want to consider not only the very best films but also acknowledge the diversity in our audiences’ interests – some are drawn to fiction, others documentaries and archival footage, as well as cultural experiences such as the Dabke Dance Workshop.
‘We want audiences to experience the depth and vitality of Palestine, both harrowing and joyous. From the intensity of our launch screening, the UK debut of The Voice of Hind Rajab to our closing event, a screening of Palestine Comedy Club and stand-up routine from Alaa Shehada.’
As Sterling highlighted, the festival opens with the UK’s first screening of The Voice of Hind Rajab on Friday 28th November. Hind Rajab was killed by the Israeli army, along with six family members and two paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, who were trying to save her, at the beginning of 2024. Hind was six years old.
At this year’s Venice International Film Festival, the docudrama received a ‘record’ standing ovation at the festival, as well as winning the Grand Jury prize.
Among the other films to look out for, is a Watershed screening of A State of Passion (2024) on Sunday the 30th of November, which will be followed by a panel discussion with Muna Khalidi and Carol Mansour, the directors of the film, who will be joining via Zoom.
Thinking about attending one of the events? Alison Sterling says, ‘Bristol Palestine Film Festival embodies community and connection, for filmmakers and audiences alike, that have a real appetite for a more authentic representation of Palestinians.’
You can find more information about the full programme, including times, dates, and ticket prices on the BPFF website.
Featured Image: Bristol Palestine Film Festival
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