Palestinian-Algerian filmmaker Lina Soualem will be joining the jury panel at Cannes Docs
Updated 14 June 2020
Arab News
DUBAI: Palestinian-Algerian filmmaker Lina Soualem will be joining the prestigious jury panel at the forthcoming Cannes Docs, set to take place virtually from Monday, June 22 to Thursday, June 25.
Soualem will be joined on the jury by Zane Balcus, head of the Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries in Latvia, and Lea Maria Strandbaek Sorensen, impact and workshop Manager at Nordisk Panorama, an annual film festival for short and documentary films.
Cannes Docs is a networking event that’s part of the Marché du Film Online platform, which includes talks, special screenings and workshops, as well as a curated showcase of documentaries-in-progress from around the world.
Last year, Soualem presented her debut documentary “Their Algeria” at the Marche du Film, where it took home the inaugural Docs-in-Progress Award. “Their Algeria” tells the story of Soualem’s grandparents, who separated after 62 years of living together.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Cannes’s virtual Marché du Film has revamped Cannes Docs as a digital-only event giving feature documentary film professionals access to a tailored program of events on a dedicated platform.
Alana Hadid joins Palestinian resistance documentary as executive producer
‘Seeds for Liberation’ has interviews with historians, activists
Highlights Israel’s occupation, war on the people of Palestine
Updated 15 sec ago
Arab News
DUBAI: Alana Hadid, the sister of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, has reportedly joined “Seeds for Liberation,” an upcoming feature-length documentary, as an executive producer.
The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Matthew Solomon, whose previous work includes the documentary “Reimagining Safety.”
The project marks Hadid’s return to filmmaking since leaving Watermelon Pictures late last year, the production company she co-founded with brothers Badie Ali and Hamza Ali.
The film will show how social media has exposed daily life in Gaza and the West Bank, challenging dominant Western narratives. (Instagram)
Hadid will serve as an executive producer alongside Donna Hadjikhani, who has American and Iranian roots, and is also set to moderate a panel discussion at the film’s world premiere, scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on Jan. 17.
Shot across spring and summer in 2025 using two iPhone 16 devices, the documentary features interviews with 20 influential figures, according to a recent report from Deadline.
According to the documentary’s website, the film examines Palestinian resistance through interviews with historians, activists and other experts.
The film will show how social media has exposed daily life in Gaza and the West Bank, challenging dominant Western narratives. It highlights a transnational, anti-imperialist struggle rooted in solidarity and collective justice.
The documentary also addresses the impact of Palestine’s 77-year occupation by Israeli forces, the role social media has played in mobilizing global support, and provides a roadmap for collective liberation.
Hadid has been using her platform to bring attention to the struggles of the Palestinian people, particularly in the light of Israel’s alleged genocidal war on Gaza.
Her activism is not restricted to just the online space; it is a deeply personal commitment to highlighting the stories that matter, she previously told Arab News.
“I was always hearing stories, stories about the cities and the towns that their ancestors helped build. The lives that they had and their lives as refugees and then eventually in the US.
“But I was very proud, always proud of being a Palestinian. That was what I learned as a child,” she said.
Through her work in film, she aims to bridge the gap between mainstream media and the often-overlooked narratives of the Palestinian people.
