A number of stars shone on the red carpet during the special screening of the film "Palestine 36" at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), including Dhafer L’Abidine, Saleh Bakri, Yasmine El Masri, Karim Dawood, and other cast members.

"Palestine 36" is set against the backdrop of rising tensions during the Palestinian uprising against the British Mandate. It tells the story of a young man caught at the heart of political conflict as British repressive measures intensify in Jerusalem and his village, coinciding with waves of Jewish immigrants fleeing anti-Semitism in Europe. According to the film’s synopsis:

"History shows no mercy, and all sides are heading toward an inevitable collision at a pivotal moment that will determine the fate of the British Empire and the future of the entire region."

The film features an ensemble of international stars, including Hiam Abbas, Jeremy Irons, Karim Dawood Anaya, Saleh Bakri, Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Billy Howle, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Dhafer L’Abidine, and Yasmine El Masri.

The film is a co-production between Palestine, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, overseen by prominent producers such as Osama Bawardi, Cat Villiers, Azzam Fakhruddin, Hani Farsi, Nils Åstrand, Olivier Barbier, Nathanaël Karmitz, Katrin Pors, and Hamza Ali. Participating production companies include Philistine Films, Autonomous, Corniche Media, MK Prods, and Snowglobe.

The film is directed by Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir, known for acclaimed works such as Salt of the Sea, When I Saw You, and Wajib. It represents Palestine’s official entry in the race for the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars.

Through the film, Jacir aims to highlight the early roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, emphasizing “the human cost of the empire and the enduring price of resistance”, while tracing the beginnings of a historical movement that reshaped the region and whose reverberations continue to this day. Jacir also founded Philistine Films in Palestine and Jordan, dedicated to supporting independent cinema in the region.

Prominent Support from "Ruya"

At the heart of this support was the Jordanian role represented by Ruya Media Group (Michel Sayegh and Fares Sayegh), which was among the main entities contributing to the film’s financing, leaving its mark in supporting a cinematic work that tells an important chapter of Arab history.

Previously, the Al-Sayegh Group had announced its funding of "Palestine 36", placing Ruya alongside prestigious international institutions such as the British Film Institute (BFI), BBC Film, the Doha Film Institute, and the Red Sea Fund, in addition to official Jordanian support from the Jordan Film Fund and the Royal Film Commission.