Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir revealed that Cameron Bailey, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), described the response to the film “Palestine 36” as unprecedented in the festival’s history.

According to Jacir, Bailey noted that the film’s world premiere received a standing ovation lasting at least 15 minutes, the longest ever recorded in the festival’s history.

A Rare Wave of Applause Jacir emphasized the significance of the moment, stressing that it is rare for a film to provoke such a powerful wave of applause. “But it succeeded because of the importance of telling Palestinian stories and having them recognized on one of the world’s most prestigious cinematic platforms,” she said.

The world premiere of the historical film “Palestine 36” took place on Friday at the Toronto Festival, with notable attendance from Arab and international stars. The cast also organized a protest on the red carpet, calling for an end to what they described as the “genocide in Gaza.”

“Stop the Genocide” During the screening at Roy Thomson Hall, actor Karim Dawood Annaya appeared holding a plastic bag filled with fake blood containing a camera and a Palestinian keffiyeh, while other crew members waved Palestinian flags and held signs reading: “Stop the Genocide.” Producer Osama Bawardi pinned a Palestinian flag to his jacket, and actor Zaid Ghazal raised his hands with the same slogan written on them, sending a clear message to the global audience.